A public-private Maryland community development and lobbying group wants to improve the perception of so-called Section 8 housing applicants and is on the hunt for a PR firm to do the job.

The Maryland Asset Building and Community Development Network has dubbed the effort the "Consider the Person Campaign" to get more landlords to rent to tenants who receive housing assistance under the federal program. The Section 8 name comes from that area of the Housing Act of 1937, which created the program for federal funds to go to private landlords.

The 28-year-old Maryland network claims 120 members among non-profits, government agencies and businesses committed to community development in the Old Line State.

"Often, landlords and neighborhoods do not want [Sec. 8] voucher holders because they perceive that the people who receive vouchers do not work by choice, and are not good tenants and are not good neighbors," reads an RFP from the network to PR firms.

Baltimore's Howard County is the only jurisdiction that legally prohibits landlords from discriminating against Sec. 8 tenants.

The network wants a firm to develop a messaging strategy and maintain the effort for at least six months on an initial $52,500 budget. Fundraising is planned to extend it for a year.

Proposals are due by June 25. View the RFP (PDF).