Pay the rent or feed the family? The housing crisis is on the minds of American voters before the presidential election

LEGAL ASSISTANCE

In the mid-Atlantic state of Maryland, several state housing reforms have been passed, such as providing a lawyer to those who cannot afford one if they are faced with a tenant-landlord dispute.

Many residents of Baltimore’s most populous city struggle to find and keep jobs because of high housing and rent prices, said Kathy Davis, director of the court advocacy project at the Maryland Pro Bono Resource Center.

“Baltimore is a city with a lot of poverty … there’s often a huge disparity between income and rent,” she added.

The program, run by Davis, provides free representation for consumers and tenants in Baltimore.

She noted that when some residents do pay rent, it goes toward unpaid rent. They also have to pay court fees and costs, which keeps them stuck in a vicious circle.

“Often we can negotiate with the landlord. They just need some time, maybe some kind of deal that can catch them up,” she added.

While the total number of evictions in Maryland has decreased in recent years, last year alone the state saw 400,000 notices of nonpayment of rent.

Frances, a mother of two, is just one of many Americans struggling to make ends meet.

“It’s very difficult to stay at work and get help. I was a working woman and couldn’t pay the rent and feed the children,” she said.

“So where do you go from there? You start feeding your children, and then it turns out that you have nowhere for them to eat or sleep.”

Despite these challenges, Frances said she remains determined to do whatever it takes to clean things up and keep a roof over her family’s head.