The Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC) was established in 1937 to provide federally-funded public housing programs and related services for Baltimore's low-income residents. HABC is the fifth largest public housing authority in the country, with more than 1,000 employees and an annual budget of approximately $200 million. The Agency currently serves over 40,000 residents in more than 14,000 housing units. HABC's portfolio includes 18 family developments, 21 mixed population buildings and scattered sites throughout the City. Baltimore's Housing Choice Voucher program provides an additional 12,000 families with rental housing subsidies each year.
The Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) was created in 1968 to consolidate local community development efforts with housing and building code enforcement. With just over 500 employees, HCD strengthens City neighborhoods by attracting investors, developers and homebuyers. Through the administration of CDBG, HOME, City bond funds, and other creative financing mechanisms, the Department finances and guides strategic development projects to meet housing and neighborhood needs. To hold property owners accountable and keep neighborhoods safe, HCD monitors construction and building activity and enforces the City's housing and building codes. The Department also provides a host of valuable community services at six Community Action Centers citywide, administers the Head Start program, operates three day care centers, and administers a host of energy assistance programs to residents in need.
During the past few years, HABC and HCD have essentially been restructured to operate as one agency to the maximum extent possible. A new organizational structure unifies the neighborhood building and community support functions of the two agencies yet maintains the financial, legal and programmatic integrity of both. This new collaboration, known as Baltimore Housing, coordinates planning and development efforts, eliminates redundancy, and fosters program accountability.
Housing and Community Development provides data on the following topics in its monthly template:
HCD-Department of Housing
Construction; Buildings & Inspection
Housing Code Enforcement
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Property Maintenance
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A September 30, 2007 Abell Foundation report suggested that Baltimore Housing did not have a clear plan for developing low-income housing in the city, and instead had spent a questionable amount of time and money demolishing existing public housing. The Department’s demolition plans had been discussed on numerous occasions at previous CitiStat Meetings, particularly in reference to public safety. Much of Baltimore City’s public housing stock pre-dated WWII, was structurally unfit for habitation, and had become havens for drug trafficking and crime. After the Abell Foundations report was published CitiStat again looked into the sites identified for demolition, and was once again satisfied that the proposed demolition was in the best interest of the residents that would remain on the site and the surrounding communities. CitiStat then asked for a comprehensive list of all developments in the City that would produce low-income housing. The table above summarizes that data, and during the meeting the Mayor’s office was satisfied that appropriates steps were being taken to develop more affordable housing in the city.