For Immediate Distribution: 22 February 2023

Media Contact: Gabriela Hernandez, [email protected]

MT. RAINIER, MD – After working on the bill for years, tenants celebrated last night as the Mount Rainier City Council voted in favor of rent stabilization unanimously 5-0. The tenants, organized by immigrant advocacy powerhouse CASA, testified that rent stabilization keeps rental costs reasonable and predictable so they can raise their families in homes they can afford.

The city of Mount Rainier has passed a permanent Rent Stabilization bill capping rent increases at 60% of the CPI annually, making it the first municipality in Prince George’s county to pass such a measure.

Yvette Bonilla is a Mount Rainier tenant who organized and testified in favor of the bill. “My rent increase was a whopping $120, but as a single mom that barely left anything left to buy food for my children. Thank you. I am very grateful to the mayor and the council for listening to our concerns and demands and moving forward with this much-needed rent stabilization law.”

Bordering Washington, DC, Mt. Rainier is a largely Black and brown city in Prince George’s County, Maryland, with 47.5% African American population and 30.9% Latine population according to US Census data.

“The City of Mount Rainier is made up of over 75% renters, mostly people of color, and hardworking families who have been impacted with the continuous rent increases and at this rate they are being pushed out of our cities. This is their community. We had several months of hearings and the community spent several hours telling us how the mobility even from one bedroom apartment to a two bedroom apartment due to cost have become practically impossible and mobility from an apartment to a home in our city is a dream they are losing faith in accomplishing, how seniors and families on stable income are being pushed out of a city they have lived in and help transformed to what it is today and how families have to make hard decisions to give their kids the stability to stay in their community schools and in a city they love and call home. Increases of rent from $100 to over $300 a month with little to sometimes no warning continue to happen,” said Mount Rainier Mayor Celina Benitez.

“I applaud Mayor Benitez and the city council of Mt. Rainier in their commitment to the more than 75% of city residents that are renters. We look forward to working alongside her in not just passing CB-7, but working towards a permanent solution countywide,” said Councilmember Krystal Oriadha who is one of six sponsors of the Prince George’s County legislation CB-7 that would limit rent increases for the next year to 3%.

It’s been 42 years since Maryland has passed a rent stabilization bill. With Mount Rainier joining Takoma Park in rent stabilization, this marks a changing tide for Maryland. Rent stabilization bills are moving in Montgomery and Prince George’s County Councils and have been quickly gaining traction.

“Maryland is swiftly moving in the direction that offers renters the ability to stay in their homes. This means less displacement and stronger community. Rent stabilization also incentivizes landlords to invest in the property because they must show significant investment in order to raise the rent above the city limit,” closed Jorge Benitez-Perez, CASA lead organizer.