Maryland has been selected as one of 11 participating states in a national cohort focused on strengthening eviction data systems. The effort aims to help policymakers better understand eviction trends and prevent housing instability across the state.
Maryland housing officials announced on June 1 that the state’s Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs was chosen for the cohort.
The New America Eviction Data Response Network is a national initiative aimed at improving eviction data systems, securing grant funding, and providing technical assistance. State officials say the program will help identify trends in housing instability, target prevention resources, and inform policies to keep Maryland residents housed.
Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day said the office’s participation in the cohort will give the state new tools to ensure these efforts are comprehensive, outcome-oriented, and centered on Maryland’s most vulnerable residents.
The Office of Tenant and Landlord Affairs was created under the Renters’ Rights and Stabilization Act of 2024. It provides resources and support to help both tenants and landlords understand their rights and responsibilities. The office also publishes the annual Maryland Tenants’ Bill of Rights and manages the Tenants’ Right of First Refusal regulations and portal.
Through the EDNR program, the office will receive technical resources and grant funding to better analyze eviction data in Maryland. Those resources will be used to develop a new eviction data dashboard that could help inform local public policy.
“Evictions can have devastating and lasting impacts on families—disrupting children’s education, employment stability, health, and community connections,” said Danielle Meister, Assistant Secretary for Homeless Solutions, in a statement. “When families lose housing, entire communities feel the effects through increased homelessness, economic instability, and strain on local systems. This award and technical assistance from New America will enable Maryland to use eviction data to help communities identify trends earlier, target prevention resources more effectively, and intervene before families reach a housing crisis.”
More than half of the country applied to join the 2026 EDNR cohort, according to Ian Fletcher, director of the Eviction Data Response Network Initiative.
“States simply cannot solve a problem they do not understand, and most court systems are not designed to stabilize families,” Fletcher said. “We believe this selected cohort represents a standout group of government, nonprofit, and public university leaders who will help inform a model that can be replicated in any state in the U.S.”
More information about New America can be found here.
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