Maryland’s Rental Allowance Program subsidy is needed more now than ever

The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development provides extensive funding for rent subsidies to Maryland tenants who struggle to afford to pay their rent.

The Rental Allowance Program delivers funding to local housing authorities who accept applications for subsidized rent. In order to receive pass through funds from the Rental Allowance Program, you must contact your local housing authority who can supply you with an application for rental assistance.

You will be asked to submit to an interview with a case manager who will in turn determine whether you likely meet program criteria. This screening process is in place to make sure that applicants who clearly would not qualify are not given false hope.

Once your application is accepted and your interview is scheduled, you will also need to provide documentation about your household. The case manager at the housing authority will want to see income documents (pay stubs, 1099s, public assistance statements) on every adult member of your household. Total household income cannot exceed 30% of the median income for either your county or the state of Maryland, whichever is higher.

They will also need to see the necessary documentation for all members in your household. This means that social security cards and other documents should be on hand. If anyone in the household is permanently disabled, then you should provide the documentation that proves that they are receiving disability benefits.

As Maryland communities continue to suffer from the economic effects of the Great Recession, local housing authorities struggle to meet the needs of the local populations. They know that many tenants may still be left without assistance, even though a large amount of financial assistance is provided by the state. Still they do their best to help each applicant qualify and receive the rent subsidies that can help their families meet monthly living costs.

If you believe that your household might qualify for rent subsidies through the Maryland Rental Allowance Program, you will need to contact your local housing authority. They can help you apply for and receive rent subsidies that are paid to your family for up to 1 year.

For households not directly served by a local housing authority, contact the Community Development Administration at 410-514-7554.