Maryland AG asks Supreme Court to protect housing voucher recipients from income-based discrimination

In an amicus brief, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown asked the Maryland Supreme Court to protect housing voucher recipients from income-based discrimination.

The brief supports an appeal by Katrina Hare, an elderly, disabled woman who was denied housing despite having a Housing Choice Voucher that would have covered all but $126 of her rent. The landlord, David Brown Enterprises, rejected her application because she didn't meet a $47,700 annual income requirement.

"Vouchers can be a life-saving resource for Marylanders who would otherwise be homeless or do not have stable housing," Brown said in a statement.

More than 200,000 Marylanders use federally funded vouchers to pay rent, with thousands more utilizing state-funded assistance. The majority are families with children, people with disabilities, and seniors.

Brown's said that minimum income requirements effectively circumvent Maryland's Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME) Act, which prohibits source-of-income discrimination.

If the ruling is allowed to stand, the lower court's decision could enable landlords to exclude voucher recipients regardless of their ability to meet rental obligations, according to the attorney general's office.

Affordable housing in Maryland

Maryland has been deemed one of the most expensive states for renters who rely on affordable housing. According to a 2024 report, Marylanders must earn approximately $37 hourly to afford a typical two-bedroom apartment without exceeding the recommended 30% of income on housing costs.

Experts attributed a surge in population growth and the limited availability of housing units to the rising housing costs. 

In December 2024, residents living at an Ellicott City motel were forced to move after the owners of the property informed residents that it was closing business. In the letter, the owners said the closure was "due to the economic slump and the property is no longer able to afford costs to stay in business."