As Baltimore heads into another pandemic winter, housing concerns persist

Almost two years into the pandemic, the threat of eviction and homelessness looms large for financially insecure families. Although Baltimore got millions in federal funds to forestall evictions, Karen Wabeke of the Homeless Persons Representation Project says her group is seeing more and more landlords refuse to take part, "We, along with partners in the Baltimore Renters United coalition, have advocated for the city to begin making direct to tenant payments. We have had clients who were evicted because their landlords refused the funding." Find information about emergency rental assistance across Maryland here. Get information about rental and security deposit assistance in Baltimore City here. Then we ask Irene Agustin, who's been heading the Baltimore Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services for six months, about preparing for the cold, and her priorities to make homelessness rare and brief. Find information about the 2020 Point-in-Time Count here. Learn how to volunteer for January's count here.Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472