Housing Justice Coalition Launches in Prince George’s Co.

BOWIE, MD — County councilmember Jolene Ivey and grassroots advocacy organizations launched the Prince George’s for Housing Justice Coalition in a Wednesday press conference.

The coalition will focus on highlighting working-class and immigrant families in need of equitable housing and demand housing policy solutions from the county.

The Prince George’s for Housing Justice Coalition requests housing security, increased tenant funding, stronger community power and support for the unhoused population.

In the press conference, Ivey announced her plan to introduce a rent stabilization bill in the county as the first step towards attaining housing security.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the county implemented a 2.6 percent increase limit on rents to help residents that were impacted by the lack of jobs at the time. However, the limit ends 90 days after the expiration of the Governor’s State of Emergency.

The coalition and Ivey, believe the limit should remain and become permanent going forward.

Ivey said, “Soon the pandemic State of Emergency may be lifted, but that won’t mean that every family’s and every rent-payer’s emergency will be over. Legislation and our laws reflect our values. Extending the moratorium on rent increases is the just and right thing to do at this time.”

On top of asking for an extended rent stabilization, the coalition is asking for increased funding for housing services and tenant support.

The purpose of their tenant support fund is to create resources to assist tenants living in uninhabitable properties. The fund aims to support situations where landlords are not meeting their residents' needs, like two apartment complexes now being sued in Langley Park.

As a union, the Prince George’s for Housing Justice Coalition believes housing should be a human right and said the county is not providing that for all of its residents.

“Prince George’s County is not yet meeting the housing needs of all its residents, not equally, and not equitably.” the coalition wrote on its webpage. “The short supply and few quality housing options means residents don’t have affordable options. Residents are desperate in not only preserving the County’s current housing but also in investing in new housing and services to benefit generations to come.”

The coalition’s last requests are building community power and supporting the unhoused population. County residents asked for increased shelter capacity and improved living conditions as support for members of the community.

The Prince George’s for Housing Justice Coalition’s members include:

• Immigrant advocacy organization CASA
• Neighborhood Design Center
• NAACP
• 1199 SEIU
• Enterprise Community Partners
• Laurel Area Referral Services
• PG Change Makers
• Independence Now
• New Day Maryland
• and directly impacted tenants.

Visit the Prince George’s for Housing Justice Coalition webpage to learn more about the newly formed coalition.