Sen. Jill Carter (D-Baltimore City) said some Marylanders have expressed concern that they might be evicted from their homes during the coronavirus pandemic even though there are restrictions to protect people from being kicked out of their homes.

“There’s probably a fear that not all landlords will honor the moratorium….I think the other issue is that even though some people’s rent is being delayed-that if they’ve been unemployed and have not received their unemployment benefits-then they still will not be in a position to pay the current rent or the back rent. And, so, they’re worried that things aren’t going to line up and they’ll still be on the street,” Carter told MarylandReporter.com in a phone interview on Tuesday.

Carter elaborated on that point.

“There are a few constituents that have written about a fear of losing their home-whether it be rent or whether it be mortgage.”

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“We have members who are landlords and tenants, some of whom have been able to operate during this entire time, and many who have not been able to,” Maryland Retailers Association president Cailey Locklair said. “This issue is one that needs to be threaded carefully to avoid the “haves and have nots” for obvious reasons. When businesses and people do not have jobs, they are unable to meet rent obligations, but this produces a domino effect with landlords who in turn do not have the income to do the same. Comprehensive plans must be put into place to protect both parties as protecting one and not the other causes an equal and/or unintended opposite reaction.”

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