Baltimore County Rental Assistance: Programs Open Now, Eviction Rules, and Free Legal Help

Baltimore County rental assistance today

From 2020 to 2023, Baltimore County ran a large Eviction Prevention Program paid for mostly with federal Emergency Rental Assistance money. The county worked with nonprofit partners to pay back rent for thousands of households. That money was always temporary. The county stopped taking new intake forms in 2022, and the federal rent program behind it has since ended nationwide.

What is left is smaller and more targeted. Most help today pays a set amount once, and only when there is a clear emergency, such as a notice from your landlord or a court date. Many programs also want proof that the payment will actually solve the problem, which usually means the landlord agrees to take the money and drop the case.

That has two practical effects. First, it pays to apply early, while you still have a notice rather than a judgment. Second, it pays to apply to more than one place at once. A family might get part of the balance from DSS, part from a church or charity, and arrange a payment plan for the rest. Our statewide guide to the Maryland rent relief program explains what replaced the pandemic fund across Maryland. This page focuses on the doors that are specific to Baltimore County.

Where to turn, by situation

Use this table to find your starting point. Every program sets its own rules and can run out of money, so call before you count on one source.

Emergency cash from county social services

The Baltimore County Department of Social Services is part of the Maryland Department of Human Services. Its main office is at 6401 York Road, Baltimore, MD 21212, and it also has district offices at 746 Frederick Road in Catonsville, 1400 Merritt Boulevard in Dundalk, 439 Eastern Boulevard in Essex, and 130 Chartley Drive in Reisterstown. The state customer line listed for the county office is 1-800-332-6347, and the main office hours are listed as 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The program most renters use is Emergency Assistance to Families with Children (EAFC). According to the Baltimore County DSS page, it gives emergency cash help to families facing an eviction notice or a heating fuel emergency. The rules worth knowing:

• At least one related child under 21 must live in your home.
• You need proof of the emergency. For rent, that usually means the landlord’s notice or court papers.
• A household can use EAFC only once in a 24-month period.
• The amount is set within state limits and may not cover a large balance by itself. Ask the caseworker how much the county can pay and whether a charity can cover the rest.

When you apply, ask about the other programs the same office handles. DSS also takes applications for SNAP, Temporary Cash Assistance, Temporary Disability Assistance, the Child Care Scholarship, and Medicaid. Getting food or child care help can free up money for rent within a month or two. The state’s Emergency Assistance page lists other short-term programs too, and our Maryland hardship relief guide explains them in more depth.

Coordinated Entry when you may lose your home

Baltimore County uses a single front door for homeless services called Coordinated Entry. You reach it at 410-887-8463, which the county also writes as 410-887-TIME. County shelters take people by referral through this line, so walking up to a shelter door usually is not the first step.

Coordinated Entry is not only for people already outside. Call if you have an eviction date, are staying somewhere you must leave in a few days, or are sleeping in a car. Staff can screen you for shelter, for prevention help if any is available, and for housing programs funded through the county’s homeless system. Lines can be busy. If you reach voicemail after hours, leave your name, a call-back number, and a short description of your situation, then try again the next business morning.

During freezing weather the county adds beds. When it activated its cold weather plan in January 2026, WYPR reported that it added 78 beds across its three year-round emergency shelters and opened temporary warming sites. The same report noted that the Prologue outreach center in Towson lets unsheltered people warm up, shower, do laundry, and get a meal.

Charities, churches, and community groups

Most of the extra money that closes the gap comes from nonprofits. Funding for these groups changes month to month, and many open their rent help only on certain days. The simplest way to see what is open this week is to dial 211 and say you live in Baltimore County, give your ZIP code, and explain how much you owe and whether you have a court date.

When you speak with 211, ask about:

• Community action and emergency services groups that serve parts of the county with one-time rent or utility payments.
• Catholic Charities, the Salvation Army, and St. Vincent de Paul, which sometimes pay part of a balance or give a grant toward a deposit.
• Congregations near your home. Some churches, synagogues, and mosques keep a small fund for neighbors, even if you are not a member.
• Programs for specific groups, such as veterans, older adults, survivors of domestic violence, or people living with HIV, which often have their own funds.

Charities nearly always pay the landlord directly. Ask your landlord, in writing if you can, whether they will accept a payment from an agency and pause any court case. In Maryland failure-to-pay-rent cases, the courts say a landlord must accept payment from a government agency, or from a group handing out government money, to cover what is owed.

Vouchers and the county Office of Housing

Baltimore County runs its own housing authority functions through its Department of Housing and Community Development. That office manages the county’s Housing Choice Vouchers, also called Section 8, along with special voucher types such as HUD-VASH for veterans and a Family Self-Sufficiency program for voucher holders who want to build savings.

The catch is the waiting list. The county says its tenant-based Housing Choice Voucher list has been closed since July 15, 2018, and it has not announced a reopening. A closed list means you cannot apply for a county voucher right now, no matter how great the need. Project-based voucher lists, which are tied to specific buildings, open from time to time, so it is worth asking.

Other ways to get on a list:

• Other housing authorities. You do not have to live in a county to apply to its list. Neighboring counties, the Housing Authority of Baltimore City, and the state’s Maryland DHCD voucher program each run their own lists and announce openings separately.
• The Baltimore Housing Mobility Program. The Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership runs a regional voucher program that helps families move to areas with more opportunity. Its applicant portal said the wait list was closed when we checked.
• Tax credit apartments. Many county complexes were built with Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and have rents below market. They take applications directly at the leasing office.

Our guide to the housing choice voucher program explains how vouchers work once you get one.

How a rent case moves through court

Baltimore County rent cases are heard in the District Court of Maryland. The steps follow state law, so they match what happens elsewhere in Maryland:

1. Written notice. Before filing for unpaid rent, the landlord must give you a 10-day notice of intent to file (Maryland Courts form DC-CV-115). It lists the amount claimed. Use these 10 days to call DSS, 211, and a lawyer.
2. Filing and summons. If the rent is not paid, the landlord can file. You receive a summons with your trial date.
3. Trial. Show up even if you think you owe the money. Bring receipts, texts, photos of repair problems, and any approval letter from a rent program.
4. Judgment. If the landlord wins, the judgment is mainly for possession of the home.
5. Warrant and eviction. The landlord must request a warrant of restitution. Only the sheriff can carry out an eviction in the county. A landlord who changes the locks or shuts off utilities on their own is breaking the law.

Maryland also lets tenants in rent cases redeem the tenancy by paying the full judgment and court costs before the eviction is carried out. Pay in a form the landlord must accept, such as a money order or certified check, and keep the receipt. A judge can take away this right if a landlord has had three rent judgments against you in the last 12 months. Ask a lawyer whether that applies to you before you rely on it.

Free legal help for county renters

Maryland created a right to counsel for renters facing eviction. Under Access to Counsel in Evictions, the Maryland Courts housing page says tenants with household income at or below 50% of the state median income may qualify for a free lawyer. To apply, call 211 and ask for eviction legal help, or go to legalhelpmd.org.

Other free help for Baltimore County residents:

• Maryland Legal Aid, statewide intake at 1-888-465-2468. Its get help page explains how to apply and who it serves.
• The Maryland Court Help Center, which gives free help to people handling a case on their own, by phone or chat.
• Mediation, which the courts offer before and after a case is filed, so you and your landlord can agree on a payment plan.

A lawyer can check whether the 10-day notice was given correctly, whether the late fees are legal, and whether there are repair problems that reduce what you owe. Call as soon as the notice arrives. Waiting until the morning of trial leaves little room to help.

Easing other bills so rent gets paid

Rent problems often start with another bill. Lowering those costs can make the next month easier even after the emergency is over:

• Energy bills. Maryland’s Office of Home Energy Programs helps with heating and electric bills and can help stop a shutoff. Apply through your local office or online.
• Food. SNAP benefits go on an EBT card each month. Applying through DSS is free.
• Child care. The state Child Care Scholarship can lower what you pay for care while you work or go to school.
• The Renters’ Tax Credit. Maryland DHCD describes it as up to $1,000 a year for qualified renters, with its own income and household rules. See the DHCD renter resources page.

County and city are separate systems

Baltimore City and Baltimore County are different governments. The city has its own housing authority, homeless services office, and rent programs, and the county has its own. Many people search for Baltimore help and land on city pages, then find they do not qualify because of their address.

If your mailing address says Baltimore but you live in places like Towson, Parkville, Rosedale, Arbutus, Woodlawn, Pikesville, Owings Mills, or Essex, you are almost always in Baltimore County. If you are not sure, check your property tax bill or ask 211. Use the county programs on this page. If you live inside city limits, ask 211 for the city’s homeless services and rent programs instead. Court cases are also filed in the court for the place where the home is.

Papers that speed things up

For EAFC and most charity help in the county, have these ready: the landlord’s notice or court summons, your lease, a recent ledger or statement showing what you owe, proof of income for the last month, and ID for the adults in your home. DSS will also ask about the children who live with you. If something is missing, apply anyway and ask how long you have to bring it. Our document checklist covers what usually counts.

A plan for the next seven days

1. Day 1: read the notice, note the amount and any dates, and take a photo of it.
2. Day 1: if you have a child under 21 at home, contact Baltimore County DSS about EAFC.
3. Day 1 or 2: call 211 for charity and congregation help in your ZIP code.
4. Day 2: if you could end up without a place to stay, call Coordinated Entry at 410-887-8463.
5. Day 2 or 3: apply for a free lawyer through legalhelpmd.org or Maryland Legal Aid.
6. Day 3: write to your landlord asking them to accept agency payments and a payment plan.
7. All week: keep copies of every application, letter, and receipt in one folder.

Related guides

• Rent relief programs
• Salvation Army rental assistance
• Low income housing with an eviction
• Maryland foreclosure assistance

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Program rules and funding are set by each agency and can change. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with Baltimore County, the State of Maryland, or any government agency.