NOTE: The Office of the Governor shared the following press release:
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Governor Wes Moore today made the second stop on his statewide “Delivering for Maryland” tour in Prince George’s County, highlighting initiatives to support stable housing and public safety.
The governor highlighted increased funding for the Community Schools Rental Assistance Program and the launch of the cross-agency Safer Stronger Together initiative into two new communities, underscoring the administration’s commitment to investing in strong schools and safe communities across Maryland.
“The work of delivering for Maryland is about investing in the fundamentals,” said Gov. Moore. “A quality education rests on stable housing, which is why we’re ensuring families of students in our community schools have emergency support to keep a roof over their heads. We are also continuing to focus on public safety, and rejecting the false choice between supporting law enforcement and building stronger communities. By doing both, we are securing safer, stronger communities that leave no one behind.”
The governor began the day at District Heights Elementary School, meeting with parents and educators to discuss the Community Schools Rental Assistance Program (CSRAP). The program provides emergency funding to families with children enrolled in designated Community Schools who face eviction, utility shut-offs, or homelessness. Currently, the program helps families with rent arrears, security deposits, and up to three months of future rent, supporting up to 15 months of housing assistance. In Prince George’s County, the initiative has already assisted more than 60 families with $675,000 in support.
The administration’s commitment to stable housing for students is supported by a $10.1 billion investment in K-12 education, including $572.7 million for Concentration of Poverty Grants. The Fiscal Year 2027 budget also expands the Community Schools Rental Assistance Program with $11 million in funding—a $6 million increase from the prior year—to help more families. In Prince George’s County, the rental assistance is administered by the Housing Initiative Partnership.
“I thank the District Heights Elementary School for welcoming me and Governor Moore today to learn more about how CSRAP has made a real difference in the lives of students and their families,” said Congressman Steny Hoyer. “As a longtime advocate for early-childhood education, I know that instability at home can cause students to have a more difficult time focusing and participating in the classroom. CSRAP serves as a vital safety net to help parents overcome housing challenges and support their children to the fullest. I thank the Moore-Miller Administration for its work to invest in the well-being and safety of students and their families in Prince George’s County and across our state.”
“CSRAP demonstrates the impact of pairing state resources with strong community partnerships,” said Housing Initiative Partnership Executive Director Stephanie Proestel. “Through HIP’s collaboration with Community Schools, we were able to reach families in crisis, stabilize their housing, and help ensure children could remain in their schools and communities.”
Following his visit to District Heights Elementary School, Governor Moore hosted a roundtable discussion at Prince George’s Community College in Largo to announce the expansion of the Safer Stronger Together initiative from its pilot sites in Hagerstown, Salisbury and Baltimore to include Capitol Heights and District Heights. The initiative is the State’s first-ever formal interagency effort to invest in young people to strengthen families, empower communities, and address the root causes of crime.
Through the initiative, the Departments of Human Services, Public Safety and Correctional Services and Juvenile Services identify families that are being served by two agencies at once, and share data to find where those families are concentrated. To best serve impacted communities, Community Action Boards—which are made up community members—identify local public safety needs, design user-friendly Requests for Proposals to meet those needs, and guide the initiatives’ local investment decisions.
Statewide, Safer Stronger Together has invested $2.26 million into 32 grassroots nonprofits and served more than 5,000 youth between the ages of 13 and 25. In Prince George’s County, $450,000 has been awarded to eight nonprofits that serve nearly 650 young people. Programming for the new round of grantees ranges from mentorship to support fathers to tutoring and therapeutic interventions for high-risk youth.
Governor Moore noted that the data-backed strategy of the Safer Stronger Together initiative has contributed to significant progress in improving public safety by addressing the root causes of crime. Driven by an all-of-the-above approach to public safety, the Moore-Miller administration has overseen a historic drop in violent crime, including a 40 percent reduction in murders within Prince George’s County in 2025.
“Governor Moore continues to be an active partner with Prince George’s County—creating opportunities for economic wins, opening doors for education and healthcare, standing with our federal workers who have been under attack, and seeking new ways to lift up Maryland families who have felt left behind,” said Prince George’s County Executive Aisha Braveboy. “The Safer Stronger Together and Community Schools Rental Assistance programs are going to change lives by supporting Prince George’s County families where they are, with the resources they need. These initiatives are built on the recognition that solutions, like problems, come from more than one source and that there is no one-size-fits-all solution for every family. Gov. Moore’s ‘Delivering for Maryland’ is investing in Prince George’s County and taking active steps to elevate our families for a brighter future.”
“Safer Stronger Together brought me, along with other committed community members, to the table to help identify and support organizations dedicated to guiding our troubled youth toward a more positive path in life,” said Prince George’s County Community Action Board member Belinda Queen. “These organizations work collectively to meet young people where they are—whether through mentoring, mental health services, or family support. Our shared mission was to keep our youth engaged, provide meaningful choices, and equip them with the tools needed to make better life decisions. By working together, we not only supported individual growth, but also build a stronger, safer community for everyone.”
The governor’s visit to Prince George’s County follows the “Delivering for Maryland” tour’s official launch last week in St. Mary’s County. While in St. Mary’s County, Governor Moore highlighted regional investments by visiting veterans at Charlotte Hall Veterans Home, meeting with students at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, and touring local businesses along Leonardtown’s historic Main Street.