Millions of Americans still face housing insecurity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with nearly 15 percent behind on rent payments at the end of June. New York City not only houses the majority of the State’s renters but also had relatively high rates of rent-burdened tenants to the pandemic.
Maryland is also a microcosm of
the United States when it comes to population change and the growing crisis in care for older adults and individuals with disabilities. Within the next decade, the number of adults aged 65 and older in
Maryland and its urban neighbor, the
District of Columbia (DC), is expected to increase by more than 330,000 (a 36 percent increase from 2015 to 2025), while the population of working-age adults will increase by less than 80,000 (just 2 percent)./1
Mirroring national realities, these trends contribute to a growing mismatch between the population demand for long-term services and supports (LTSS) and the supply of direct services workers who provide them. The poor quality of direct services jobs exacerbates this workforce shortage, as workers move to other sectors that offer better wages and benefits, more stable hours, opportunities for advancement, and other advantages./2