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August 2020
As a member of the Council’s Health and Human Services Committee and the lead on Homelessness and Vulnerable Communities, I am proud to announce that the Council has approved $20 million for rental assistance and homelessness prevention. By directing funds toward rental support, we are expanding our commitment to vulnerable residents who are experiencing extreme financial burden as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. These funds build upon my previous $2 million rental assistance program, which helped nearly 2,000 renters throughout Montgomery County.
Registration for this program is not yet open, but you can sign up here to receive the phone number and application information as soon as it becomes available.
As always, I am here to assist you during these trying times. The last thing we want is for anyone to become homeless during this emergency. Please do not hesitate to call my office at (240) 777-7966 or send me an email at councilmember.glass@montgomerycountymd.gov.
A few weeks ago I received an email from a family in the process of adopting a child. The couple was all set to move forward with the agency but needed an in-home inspection from the county. Unfortunately the Department of Housing and Community Affairs (DHCA) had stopped conducting in-person inspections due to Covid-19 and told the couple that they would have to wait until it was safer for DHCA employees.
On July 29 I wrote a letter to DHCA Director Aseem Nigam encouraging his department to modernize and adapt their operations to better meet the immediate needs of our residents while also keeping employees safe.
I'm pleased to share that DHCA will now conduct site visits for loving families undergoing the adoption process.
These are the constituent stories that you don't often hear about, but that can and will make the world a better place.
 
Covid-19 has dramatically impacted our everyday lives and has certainly had an impact on the way we vote. During our primary election in June, the state of Maryland instituted a mail-in voting system, in which over 95% of Marylanders sent their ballots in by mail. I support a continuation of this policy, as it keeps us safe and encourages more voter participation –– all key elements to maintaining a healthy democracy.
But for the election on November 3, mail-in ballots will not automatically be mailed to all registered voters.
With the election less than 85 days away, I encourage you to complete your vote-by-mail / absentee ballot application ASAP by following this link: Maryland State Board of Elections
We all want to live in communities where we can feel safe. In July, the council unanimously approved 13 members for the newly created Policing Advisory Commission, which is tasked with improving the oversight and trust of the police department. The commission will advise the Council on policing matters and best practices, engage in public education efforts and hold an annual forum to receive community input. I look forward to working with this incredibly accomplished and passionate group of people to ensure that every resident feels safe in our community.
For the past several months, the Guru Nanak Foundation of America has been hosting a drive-thru food distribution in Fairland for any resident experiencing food insecurity. I recently joined them outside their temple for a drive-thru distribution, during which we placed a week’s worth of food in people’s cars. The Foundation will continue their distributions and are regularly connecting with other organizations and communities to make sure people are aware of their food programs.
I deeply appreciate everything that our local Sikh community is doing to help our neighbors in need!
We know that wearing a mask is the best way to stop spreading the virus. Governor Larry Hogan recently expanded the state’s mandate for face coverings, requiring all Maryland residents over the age of five to wear face masks while indoors in public spaces and outdoors when social distancing is not possible. Under this order, face masks will be required at all businesses, commercial office buildings and locations that have public areas, including places of worship, casinos, gyms and indoor recreation and personal service establishments.
Check out this map of where in Montgomery County residents are most likely to wear a mask. Please share it with your friends and family, and let’s all do our part to defeat this virus.
You can now get a free test for Covid-19 in Montgomery County, and you do not need a doctor’s order, and walk-ups are allowed. Making an appointment is recommended to reduce wait times—you can do that by going to Montgomery County’s Covid-19 Information Portal.
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