Disability Rights Activists holding yellow signs that say Housing is a “Human Right” and a green sign that says, “Fair Housing is a Civil Right.”
In Maryland, more than half of all people with disabilities had annual household incomes below $15,000 in 2016. While many people with disabilities receive monthly Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, SSI payments alone are usually not enough to afford market-rate housing: in 2020, the average monthly rent of a one-bedroom apartment in Maryland was $1,223, while monthly SSI payments were just $783.
Maryland’s eviction crisis is an affordable housing crisis.
If you are experiencing routine eviction filings by your landlord and cannot pay rent timely because of when your benefits arrive, you may have the right to a reasonable accommodation for an extended grace period to pay your rent.
DRM applauds the more than 60 attorneys who participate in our Pro Bono Program. By donating their services these attorneys, in partnership with DRM, make life changing differences in the lives of Marylanders with disabilities. To learn more about our Pro Bono Program visit our web site.
You can also partner with DRM to make a difference in the lives of people with disabilities with a donation which makes it possible for us to provide more services around our state. Donate today.
Disability Rights Maryland extends our condolences on the recent passing of former delegate James Hubbard, a steadfast champion of people with disabilities and their families for many years. Delegate Hubbard worked tirelessly to guarantee rights, expand community services, and ensure protections for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. His fearless advocacy led to services for youth transitioning from special education to adult life, children and adults waiting for critical community services, people with disabilities desiring to get out of nursing facilities for support in their own homes, privacy protections for people with disabilities, the Waiting List Equity Fund, and much more.
Delegate Hubbard leaves a legacy in the disability community and will be sorely missed. He challenges all of us who pursue justice to build upon his legacy for the next generation of children and adults with disabilities.
DRM has continued its campaign to educate the public, including legislators, to put pressure on the state’s paratransit provider to respond to rider complaints. Paratransit is a shared-ride public transit service for individuals with disabilities who have difficulty riding fixed-route public transit. The service is an important piece of protecting the right of people with disabilities to have equal and meaningful participation in their communities.
In our state, the Maryland Transit Administration (MTA) oversees MobilityLink paratransit service. MobilityLink riders use the service to get to work or class, as well as medical appointments, religious worship, and visits with loved ones. Sadly, MobilityLink has failed its riders, who commonly report serious issues with the service, including:
Late or missed rides, leading to riders being left alone, waiting for hours, often in the cold or heat, or in the dark (see Floyd and Gwen’s stories);
Long onboard travel times causing riders to miss important activities (see Brandon andTroy’sstories);
No access to backup vehicles and a triage system when riders are left stranded (see Tierra and Keyonna’s stories);
Difficulty finding out the status and location of rides;
Vehicles in disrepair, as well as being dispatched without straps to ensure safe transport for riders who use wheelchairs; and
Staff shortages causing poor service.
If you are interested in sharing your story with your Maryland elected officials, local council people, and MTA officials, please see the below sample letter, which includes space to include your own story or words. The following links will help you share your story:
Thank you for taking the time to inform and educate the public about the current state of MobilityLink and issues impacting people with disabilities!
Dear Elected Official:
I would like to tell you about the Maryland Transit Administration’s (MTA) paratransit, MobilityLink, a very important service meant to provide transportation to people with disabilities who have difficulty using other types of transportation, like the bus, light rail, and metro. As you may know, Maryland’s MobilityLink service underperforms compared to the other types of public transportation services being run by the MTA. This failure endangers the health and safety of riders and violates the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Marylanders with disabilities who use MobilityLink live busy lives—they have things to do, and places to be. MobilityLink is the only means of transportation for many riders, who often lack access to their own vehicle. Without reliable transportation, Marylanders with disabilities cannot travel to work, attend class, receive medical care, visit loved ones, and participate in religious worship. MobilityLink should protect the right of people with disabilities to participate equally in their communities, but the service has failed to do so.
Poor MobilityLink service really hurts riders. Whether day or night, rain or shine, riders are left stranded because their ride is late or not coming at all. Riders traveling for medical services miss care, contributing to negative health outcomes. Disturbingly, the MTA has no back up service in place to locate and assist stranded MobilityLink riders. Since MobilityLink service is so unreliable, many riders report a fear of leaving home, only traveling when absolutely necessary.
[Please use this space if you would like to add your own thoughts or personal story.]
NPR’s The Kojo Nnamdi Show rebroadcast a program yesterday on the Netflix documentary “Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution,” featuring James LeBrecht and Judith Heumann who retell their riveting stories of the genesis of the disability rights movement in the 1970’s at a Catskills summer camp.
Barack and Michelle Obama were executive producers for the documentary under their Higher Ground Productions company. Listen to the full episode as LeBrecht recounts the inspiration behind the documentary and the origins and evolution of the movement for disability rights. Heumann also speaks about the origins of her activism as well as discusses the future of the disability rights movement.
To recognize Judith Heumann’s astounding contribution to the disability rights movement, DRM has established in perpetuity The Judith Heumann Champion of Justice Award, which Heumann will present to Wade Henderson, former president and CEO of The Leadership Conference, at DRM’s 2020 Breaking Barriers Virtual Awards Gala on Thursday, November 12, 2020.
The Breaking Barriers Awards Gala is Disability Rights Maryland’s (DRM) signature celebration where individuals, law firms and organizations that have demonstrated exceptional leadership, vision and achievement in safeguarding the legal rights of people with disabilities in Maryland are recognized and honored. To learn more, go to https://www.disabilityrightsmd.org/2020-bb-gala.
