Public Justice Center, Inc.
Public Justice Center is leading a multi-year campaign to advocate for changes in laws and practices that limit tenants’ rights and deny due process to tenants in Baltimore City’s Rent Court. In a December 2015 report on evictions in Baltimore entitled “Justice Diverted,” PJC documented the high rate of evictions in Baltimore City, where more than one in 17 renter households is evicted each year. This grant supports PJC’s Rent Court Reform and Eviction Prevention Initiative, which employs a combination of litigation, administrative advocacy, and legislative advocacy to advance the rights of tenants in Baltimore.
PCs for People
Based in St. Paul, MN, PCs for the People also operates in Cleveland, OH, and Denver, CO, and is expanding to Baltimore. The organization will launch its efforts to increase educational opportunity and achievement, career readiness, and employment by providing low or no-cost refurbished computers, mobile internet access for $25/month, technological training, repair and troubleshooting services to low income residents in Baltimore City. This grant provides support for local launch staffing and related costs.
Neighborhood Housing Services of Baltimore, Inc.
Neighborhood Housing Services of Baltimore (NHS) serves 800 households annually through its homeownership counseling and financial coaching programs. NHS deploys down payment assistance awards, raises additional capital toward an ongoing revolving DPA fund, increases access to affordable homeownership for borrowers that face challenges accessing traditional affordable mortgage products, and attracts new home buyers to Baltimore City. This grant provides support for staff positions associated with deployment of those funds, housing counseling, and financial coaching, and targeted community outreach.
Maryland Farmers Market Association
The Maryland Farmers Market Association’s Maryland Market Money Program was launched in 2013 in response to interest from Maryland Farmers who were interested in serving as sites for healthy food access but found it difficult to independently access federal nutrition benefits incentive programs via SNAP/EBT system. This grant supports related staff costs and outreach expenses targeted at 10 Baltimore City farmers markets.
Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition, Inc.
Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition provides research on economic rights and consumer protection issues; educates policymakers and the public about economic rights issues, and provides consumer awareness and education campaigns to individuals and organizations. MCRC serves low-income homeowners and renters through the Low Income Forgotten Tax (LIFT) program that helps them access the Homeowners and Renters Tax Credit programs and public benefits. This grant provides support for staff and outreach expenses for the LIFT program.