September 6th, 2025 by WCBC Radio

The National Day of Action sponsored by United Workers, a statewide poor people's human rights organization, was held in front of Cumberland City Hall on Saturday. The peaceful and at times emotional rally was attended by 30 participants beginning with a prayer, testimonials, and poetry. One Cumberland parent spoke of her struggle as part of the 40% of Marylanders that do not earn enough to pay for basic necessities such as food, rent and healthcare. She stated that the City is anti-homeless with its passing of recent ordinances…

   
"The City of Cumberland itself has past anti-homeless ordinances that prevent us from eating, sleeping or storing are belongings in a vehicle parked on public property as well as eating in public parks."

She says the actions by the city have made surviving more difficult…

   
"They don't make it more affordable to live in Cumberland or deal with rising cost for groceries and healthcare. They pass these laws to terrorize us to make it illegal to be homeless. They make it harder to survive."

According to a recent report from the Cumberland Economic Development Corporations on housing. 50% of Cumberland City renters are at risk of homelessness paying more than 30% on their income on housing while 20% of Cumberland City renters pay more than 50% of their income on rent.