ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan on Wednesday announced that a total of $402 million in federal COVID-19 relief funding had been distributed to Maryland to provide assistance for individuals and families struggling to pay their rent due to the pandemic.

A total of $258.1 million was provided to the state this week, which will be administered through the Department of Housing and Community Development. An additional $143 million was allocated directly to eight jurisdictions with populations over 200,000:

• Anne Arundel County
• Baltimore City
• Baltimore County
• Frederick County
• Harford County
• Howard County
• Montgomery County
• Prince George’s County

As the state awaits regulatory guidance from the federal government regarding how the funds can be deployed to help Marylanders in need, the governor directed DHCD Secretary Kenneth C. Holt to reach out to leaders in the Maryland General Assembly to form a bipartisan advisory group to provide input and guidance on the state’s plan.

“We continue to back one of the strongest eviction moratoriums in the country with direct relief for rental payments, legal services, and affordable housing,” said Governor Hogan. “We look forward to working with legislative leaders to determine the best way to utilize these resources for Marylanders in need.”

This direct relief from the federal government comes in addition to the $700 million in economic relief already provided by the state, as well as Governor Hogan’s emergency legislation, the RELIEF Act of 2021, which provides direct economic assistance to low-income individuals and Maryland small businesses. In total, the governor has committed $1.7 billion in COVID-19 relief.