RENTERS UNITED
for change in Maryland
Charter
Mission Statement:
STOP curbside evictions...no eviction for families with child under 18 residing in the home.
STOP arbitrary rent increases without cause or improvement..(such as installation of central air or other major remodeling projects)
STOP unauthorized entry into tenant apartments. (entry without notice and/or while tenant is away
STOP owners from renting substandard housing...(such as insufficient or non functioning plumbing, substandard wiring and electrical systems, no central heating, lead paint, and other structural abnormalities, leaky basements, black mold, pest infestations, etc.
STOP gentrification and displacement.
Require developers to set aside a percentage of affordable units for working class families as a condition of receiving city/county building permits.
Announcements
RENTERS UNITED is seeking tenants from working class families from all over Maryland who rent their homes or apartments. Please join us in our crusade against the tyranny of Maryland property owners and slumlords.
Currently in Maryland, tenants have little or no legal recourse in many housing issues and are by and large at the mercy of a landlords whims.
Curbside evictions of families with children are particularly disturbing. It negatively reverberates through our communities and schools. It can be the catalyst for job loss, school transfers and student disruption, child welfare involvement, and even divorces. It pollutes our streets with discarded trash and household waste. It attracts unwanted vermin into the neighborhood and directly contributes to the overall crime and decay in our cities and towns.
Even now, greedy developers and unscrupulous property owners are making plans to eliminate affordable rental homes in Maryland with the blessing of the state and city governments.
GENTRIFICATION not only hurts renters...by increasing rents to astronomical proportions, but even homeowners are affected as well ...as they see their property taxes increase along with the value of their homes...sometimes to unmanagable levels and they too, lose their homes to wealthy investors and real estate speculators.
And where are these displaced families supposed to go? What of those without resources or family assistance? Don't let these circumstances happen to you or your family.
Links: www.ACORN.org
www.publicjustice.org
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MDLLTReformCampaign
FYI: Attention All Baltimore Renters!!
There is a company called "FIRST AMERICAN" that has been operating at the Baltimore City Rent Court for the past 10 years now, that has been compiling personal information on renters in the city who have judgments against them for non-payment of rent and/or eviction. This information is available on computer disc for landlords only...tenants are prohibited from viewing their own file...a file that contains YOUR personal information. This is CLEARLY a VIOLATION of the law: THE PRIVACY ACT OF 1974 which PROHIBITS individuals from viewing your personal records without your consent.
Unlike your credit report, (which is another violation of that law) which you may view at any time, FIRST AMERICAN does NOT allow renters this same basic right. This outrage to the people's privacy can have dire consequences to their future ability to rent another apartment and/or purchase their first home!!
Event Calendar
February 16,2005 1 P.M. Annapolis, MD.
Testimony against House Bill #251 This lead paint legislation only serves to further harm MD families and prolong landlord "grace periods" to rehabilitate properties all ready in violation.
Saturday March 12, 2005: Protest in Dundalk MD. in support of tenants in danger of losing their homes to a landlord/developer deal.
Wednesday April 20, 2005: Testimony before the Baltimore City Council to support an Inclusionary Zoning Bill which would provide affordable housing to the residents of Baltimore in the looming dark cloud of GENTRIFICATION sweeping through the city's neighborhoods.
Upcoming Meetings: Tues May 17, @ 5 pm Baltimore City Hall
Tues. May 24 @ 5 pm Baltimore City Hall
Friday July 29, 2005: Protest at Frank Scarfield's home in Bowleys Quarters Baltimore County. WMAR TV Chan 2 news caught on tape Frank and his wife attacking protesters outside his home with a windsheild squeegie and his wife attempting to run down a protester with her SUV and then jumping from her vehicle to physically assault the same person she just tried to run down.
Next protest: Friday August 5, 2005 at 5 PM.
Meeting at Baltimore City Council September 14, 2005 5 P.M.
Sunday October 23, 2005 Cleveland Ohio
Sherwin Williams Paint Company Executive Board Meeting Renaissance Hotel.
Six Cities joined in a protest sponsored by ACORN on the harmful effects of lead paint poisoning. Among the cities represented were:
Baltimore, MD.
Washington, D.C.
Providence, R.I.
Detroit, Mich.
Trenton, N.J.
Cleveland,Ohio
Wilmington, DE
About 600 people quietly marched into the meeting and quickly surrounded the conference table. Several people testified and a list of demands were voiced by the group leaders.
In the end, 10 members of the paint company executive board agreed to meet with 10 representatives of ACORN in 30 days in Washington, D.C. to address their concerns which include:
1. medical treatment for lead poisoned individuals.
2. special education for children with lead poisoning.
3. Home rehabilitation and Abatement
Protest leaders declared victory as they led the members to the Sherwin Williams Corporate Headquarters, a block away from the hotel. They chanted and sang as supportive Clevelanders honked their horns and waved as they drove by.
All in all, a great success!!
March 2006 Maryland State Legislative Session Annapolis Maryland.
House Bill 1481 and Senate Bill 597: Clean Streets Bills - Makes it illegal for landlords to dump a tenant's property on the street during an eviction... Landlord must store tenant's property in a safe and secure location
House Bill 1483 and Senate Bill 599: Stop Retaliation Bill - Forbids landlords from retaliating against tenants for lawful complaints concerning conditions in their units,
or for any other lawful activity such as organizing or joining a tenants organization.
We must urge our state representatives to support this legislation NOW!
April 3, 2006 Senator George Della representing South Baltimore just voted to kill a bill submitted by Rep. Jill Carter to help the citizens of Baltimore by ELECTING the members of the City School Board and an additinal bill which would allow people poisoned by lead paint to sue the paint manufacturers. This action by Della is appalling. Instead of working for the people of his district, he is working AGAINST the people of his district!! As a constituent of his, I REFUSE to cast my vote for him in November.
On November 7, 2006, Baltimore City voters Have a chance to begin to enact inclusionary zoning which will provide AFFORDABLE housing for the working class citizens of Baltimore. This is our chance to fight back against the wealthy developers and the sweeping gentrification that has been forcing Baltimore residents out of their neighborhoods.
So PLEASE vote YES on QUESTIONS D & J!! MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD! Baltimore's future is in your hands.
Monday July 16, 2007 Baltimore City Council Meeting 5 P.M.: CLEAN STREETS BILL VOTE
COME ONE AND ALL!!
BILL # 07-655 Prevents landlords from throwing tenants possessions in the street during an eviction.
Come and show your support! Bring your MD ID with you.
General Information
Our goal is to change the housing laws in MD to protect tenants and to give them legal recourse.We will achieve this by lobbying city and state legislative bodies to attain fair treatment for all MD renters
We are NOT a special interest,we are in the PEOPLE'S interest...and the people's interest will ultimately prevail! WE hold the power of the ballot box...the individuals in the legislature are the servents of the people...NOT the other way around. No amount of money can override the citizens votes.
Join Us
If you rent in Maryland and are tired of slumlords who are only interested in money and not their property, then join us now! There is strength in numbers
Retaliation by a landlord on a tenant for joining or organizing a tenants union is ILLEGAL in Maryland.
Contact Us
Call Marianne at: 443-919-7932
Email Us
mzantt@comcast.net
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