Housing Authority of Baltimore City urges residents to apply for emergency funding

BALTIMORE -- The Housing Authority of Baltimore City wants residents who cannot pay their rent to contact their management officer and make an attempt to resolve their outstanding payments.

The federal government has made available $3 million in Emergency Rental Assistance that Housing Authority of Baltimore City residents can take advantage of, but they can't do it on their own, HABC's President and CEO Janet Abrahams said.

"That is why we are urging them to immediately contact their management office where HABC staff are ready to submit the applications on their behalf," Abrahams said. "We are doing everything we can to help our residents maintain their housing status, but the clock is ticking."

The Emergency Rental Assistance is administered through the United Way of Central Maryland, housing officials said.

Housing officials have been informing residents about the rental assistance availability over the last year and a half. Now, there is only a week left before the ERA application deadline. 

HABC residents who want to take advantage of the opportunity need to take action quickly, according to housing officials. 

There are more than 2,000 HABC residents who have failed to pay their rent and could face court action, housing officials said.

They could greatly benefit from the Emergency Rental Assistance funds, according to housing officials.