Relating to Real Estate
Eviction Protections in Place for Government Employees in Maryland During Federal Government Shutdown
Starting on October 1, 2025, the federal government has shutdown for an indeterminate time until Congress is able to pass the required funding bills, known as appropriations. The shutdown has caused furloughs of federal employees, which may cause financial hardship and increase the risk of eviction for those affected. According to the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, over 269,000 federal employees currently reside in the State.
State law protects federal employees from evictions during a furlough. Enacted in 2019, ยงยง 7-105.1(b-1) and 8-401(d) of the Maryland Annotated Code, Real Property Article, provides involuntarily furloughed federal employees at risk of eviction a defense in court to temporarily pause these proceedings during a government shutdown.
To qualify, the employee must: (1) be a current federal employee (or state or local government employee furloughed due to a federal shutdown), (2) live in the residential property at risk, (3) be unpaid during the shutdown, and (4) attend the scheduled court hearing to request the pause. The court can pause eviction for up to 30 days after the shutdown ends, or longer if justified.