In COVID-19, MD Renters' Rights, Montgomery County Renters' Rights, Montgomery County, MD
People holding signs with text overlaid: Thank you, Councilmembers!

Every person has a right to a safe, stable, affordable home, regardless of their race, income, or ZIP code. JUFJ and our partners have been advocating for Bill 30-21, a rent stabilization bill sponsored by Councilmember Will Jawando. We’re happy to announce that on November 2, 2021, this bill passed unanimously!

This victory for renters was the result of months of work by the Montgomery County Racial Equity (MORE) Network, including JUFJ, CASA, Everyday Canvassing, and other partners. The powerful stories that renters told about how the pandemic has affected their lives and their housing, as well as the work that our coalition did to bring those stories to the ears of Councilmembers, led to a unanimous vote that seemed impossible just a week earlier. Check out Everyday Canvassing’s video below to hear some of those stories.

Together, we helped protect thousands of renters from potential eviction during the ongoing pandemic. While the bill did not extend protections for as long as we hoped, our work and that of Councilmember Jawando defeated a damaging amendment that would have weakened the bill and prioritized bureaucratic red tape over meeting renters’ needs during this emergency.

The final version of Bill 30-21 that was adopted limits rent increases County-wide and prohibits landlords from charging late rent payment fees to many renters for six months. Before the bill expires in May 2022, we plan to work with our partners and with Councilmembers toward long-term housing stability for everyone in Montgomery County.

Want to join the fight for housing justice in Montgomery County?

Join the next meeting of JUFJ’s Montgomery County Housing Team on Tuesday, December 14 at 12:00 PM on Zoom.

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