8 months pregnant and facing eviction in Dundalk, MD

(Request from Courtney in Dundalk, Maryland) I’m a 21 year old female who is 8 months pregnant and facing eviction on the 21 of this month as I have been unable to work the past 3 months. I have depleted my savings to simply eat and don’t know what to do now or who to turn to. I have no family to turn to and don’t know what any of my options are. I’m afraid to have my daughter when I don’t have a home. Any information or help you could provide would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Dear Courtney,

I am having my first born in a few weeks, so I know the apprehension that you feel about wanting to be a good parent. Fear not for your little one. Your daughter will love you and trust you for taking care of her. She will know nothing or care nothing of worldly possessions while you care for her.

The first step will be to help you find a feasible living situation. You currently are in no position to start a job right now. If the father is working then he should be providing some for you as best he can, but that is another issue.

Given the short timeframe, it is important to first match you up with an emergency housing program. By taking care of your immediate housing needs, then a caseworker may be able to help you review transitional housing options to see where you might fit in. Here are some initial options.

  • While you may call 410-853-3400 to reach the Baltimore County Department of Social Services, a better option may be their Young Parent Support Center given your upcoming birth. Call 410-853-3860 to speak with a case manager or volunteer that can help you line up the proper resources to take care of your new baby. Both can be a good start to find emergency and then transitional housing.
  • The Community Assistance Network in Colgate assists in cases of evictions. For many clients they can intervene to stop the eviction. In your case, the preferred option will likely not be to fight the eviction, but rather to help you move out of the house and into a suitable replacement dwelling. Again, there may be a transitional housing period of a few months before you are matched to a permanent rental property that you can afford.
  • The Baltimore Rental Allowance Program (RAP) may be able to provide up to $560 a month in rental assistance for a period not exceed one year. To see if you qualify call the Office of Community Conservation for Baltimore County at 410-887-3937.

These initial programs may be able to help you deal with your eviction. The most important part is to help you transition to a healthy living situation. I know that you mentioned that you are running out of money for food too. Here are some options for food aid.

  • Citizens Outreach of Baltimore County on Ridgeshire Rd in Dundalk: Call 410-282-6584.
  • Dundalk Church of God on Yorkway in Baltimore: Call 410-284-0722.
  • Dundalk Church of the Brethren, also on Yorkway Rd in Baltimore: Call 410-284-7081.
  • Dundalk United Methodist Church on Mornington Rd: Call 410-284-4818.
  • Edgemere Church of God on Ellen Ave in Baltimore: Call 410-477-0697.
  • Merritt Park Baptist Church on Merritt Blvd in Dundalk: Call 410-282-7023.
  • St. Lukes Catholic Church on N. Point Rd in Baltimore: Call 410-477-5200.

Make sure that you check in with Baltimore DSS first since they can prioritize your case. Also, some programs require a referral from a social worker, and they can provide this referral for you.

Call them immediately so that you can schedule an emergency appointment, and they can help you find a new place to stay in the short term. Then just make sure that you have everything packed and ready to go. Let your landlord know what your plans are too so that they can accommodate any last minute needs. Good luck to you and your baby!