Baltimore asking landlords for leniency with federal employees affected by shutdown

Baltimore’s Housing Authority is asking landlords who take part in a voucher program to be lenient with their clients who haven’t been paid during the federal government shutdown.

Under the Housing Choice Voucher program, the tenants pay about 30 percent of their income in rent and the Housing Authority pays the remainder of the rent for the apartment.

Landlords will continue to receive the Housing Authority’s portion of the rent, but is asking that landlords understand that federal workers without paychecks may have trouble paying their share.

“We have 162 federal employees living in homes being supported by our voucher program. They have enough stresses on their lives right now without fearing they will be evicted,” said Housing Authority Executive Director Janet Abrahams in a statement. “We are planning to ask these property owners to show compassion.”

The 64 federal employees living in public housing will not face eviction for being unable to pay rent during the shutdown, officials said in a press release.