Presentation to the Board of Charles County Commissioners September 1st, 2020
Overview • Collaborative effort between government and community partners • Focus on households facing potential eviction and other financial challenges as a result of COVID-19 impact: • Decrease or loss in household wages since March 2020 • Increase in household expenses as a result of COVID-19, i.e., daycare expenses, increased utilities • Persons who tested positive or a person in the household died as a result of COVID-19, therefore resulting in changes in income or unexpected expenses
Goals • Reduce duplication of effort for households served and the agencies providing resources • “No Wrong Door” approach to providing services • Collaborate with the court system and landlords for the best interest of all parties • Connect households in need with all available resources • Reduce the number of households who become homeless
Rental assistance/Eviction prevention Utility disconnection avoidance assistance Security deposit assistance Rental application fees Services Available Mortgage assistance (limited)/Mortgage counseling Burial costs Medical bills Court advocacy
Processes • Partnering agencies can assist households in conducting intake and assessments for all agencies’ sources of funding • Signed releases of information will allow sharing of information • Limit duplication of forms to be completed • Shared and secure communication log will provide real-time updates regarding the status of each household’s case for agency staff to access • Court advocate will assist with notifying court system who is connected to current resources to notify judges of the status • All households will be connected with the Department of Social Services and the existing coordinated entry process in Southern Maryland
• Additional homeless prevention/rental assistance funding that may be or become available • County support in advertising Resources resources • Commissioners’ letter to landlord’s Needed encouraging coordination with 3 rd party agencies • Any legal action Commissioners’ can take to deter evictions
Charles County Department of Social Services: 301-263-7325 Community Support Systems, Inc.: 301-372- 1491 For More LifeStyles of Maryland, Inc.: 1-866-293-0623 Information: Salvation Army: 301-638-9532 Southern Maryland Tri-County Community Action Committee: 301-274-4474 United Way of Charles County: 301-609-4844
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