Gov. Wes Moore announced that families and students enrolled in Community Schools can apply for emergency financial support through the Community Schools Rental Assistance Program in eight local jurisdictions. Applications are open now for those experiencing homelessness or who are at risk for housing instability.
“Few things are more important to a child’s growth and development than a safe, stable home,” Moore said in a statement. “The Community Schools Rental Assistance Program will help vulnerable students and their families threatened with housing instability keep a roof over their heads. This is a collaborative, interagency initiative that brings together housing supports, educators, and community partners in order to bolster our administration’s mission of ending child poverty.”
The Community Schools Rental Assistance Program was signed into law in 2024. The Maryland State Department of Education and Governor’s Office on Children administers the program, distributing funds to local grantees through the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development.
To qualify for assistance, a household must have a student enrolled in a Community School in one of the eight participating jurisdictions living in their home. People who apply must show proof they must pay rent and/or are experiencing housing instability, like homelessness, risk of eviction, utility shut-off or being behind in paying rent or utilities.
The funds can even help families pay for past-due rent or utility bills, including late fees and court fees related to eviction. Funds from the program can also be used to help pay for costs related to renting a new home, including moving fees, security and utility deposits, and first month’s rent. Households may be eligible for up to 15 months of assistance.
“Through the Community Schools Rental Assistance Program, we are building partnerships and pathways that create a new entry point to receive critical housing aid and prevent homelessness,” said Jake Day, secretary of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, in a statement. “These resources will help ensure the families struggling to keep up with rent and utilities, the single mother with children living in their car or a hotel room, or the homeless, couch-surfing high school student that’s running out of places to stay, all keep a roof over their heads.”
More than 1,300 households have applied since portals opened, and more than 400 households are already receiving assistance. The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development is exploring outreach opportunities to amplify the availability of these resources.
A Community School is any school that receives a Concentration of Poverty Grant, which is based on the number of students receiving free and reduced-priced meals. These schools serve as hubs that bring families and community members together to help children learn and overcome barriers. In 2025, Maryland has 617 Community Schools.
“While all schools provide support to students, community schools work in collaboration with community partners, local governments, and other stakeholders to provide wraparound services that address barriers to learning and success,” reads the Maryland Public Schools website. These services include things like extended learning time and an extended school year, vision and dental services, additional social workers, counselors, psychologists, and mentors, access to healthy food, and more.
The Community Schools Rental Assistance Program is managed by the Department’s Division of Homeless Solutions. It is one of the many programs administered by the division, which spends more than $50 million on outreach, legal services, housing counseling, eviction prevention, emergency rental assistance, shelter construction and operations, and more.
The Maryland State Department of Education helped identify areas that needed funding, design the program, and connect each local school with community partners and rental assistant organizations in their counties. The department will also help promote the Community Schools Rental Assistance Program with outreach to families and students.
“Community schools exist to remove barriers to learning so that every child can focus on thriving in the classroom and beyond,” said Dr. Carey M. Wright, State Superintendent of Schools, in a statement. “When families have stable housing, children can stay in their schools and maintain their relationships with educators, mentors and friends. The Community School Rental Assistance Program is a powerful example of how Maryland aligns efforts to meet the whole needs of our students and their families.”
The Moore administration views the program as an investment in ending childhood poverty and improving economic mobility. People in the program will work with organizations in the ENOUGH Initiative to make sure the resources reach communities that need them most.
“Children cannot thrive without a stable home, and by employing an all-of-government approach to reach families, this program will ensure more Maryland children and their families can stay in their homes,” said Carmel Martin, special secretary at the Governor’s Office for Children, in a statement. “Through the ENOUGH Initiative, community organizations have built strong relationships with Community Schools, working with school staff to better connect students and their families to resources.”
Application portals for Community Schools Rental Assistance Program funding are open in Baltimore City and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Frederick, Montgomery, Prince George’s, Washington, and Wicomico counties.
For more information about the program and how to apply, visit the Community Schools Rental Assistance Program webpage.
