* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Holton
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
title
Informational Hearing - The Status of Affordable Housing in Baltimore City
FOR the purpose of requesting the Housing Commissioner to brief the City Council on the availability of affordable housing; the backlog of unfilled requests for affordable housing; the number of persons on waiting lists for Section 8 or public housing; and the impact of the possible decrease in CDBG funds on the Baltimore City affordable and public housing markets.
body
Recitals
The Baltimore Housing Annual Action Plan FFY 2010/CFY 2011: August 2010 states that activities undertaken with anticipated federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Home Investment Partnership (HOME), Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG), or Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) funds must be consistent with the City's five-year Consolidated Plan and address one or more of priority strategies, including:
ยท Provision of New Units of Affordable Housing - Assist extremely-, very- and low-income renter households by providing affordable rent housing, and assist extremely-, very- and low-renter households in becoming homeowners.
The Housing Authority of Baltimore City is "the fifth largest public housing authority in the country, with more than 1,000 employees and an annual budget of approximately $300 million. The agency currently serves over 20,000 residents in more than 10,000 housing units. HABC's portfolio includes 28 family developments, 17 mixed population buildings, 2 senior 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."
At a City Council hearing in early July 2009, it was alleged that the City was faced with an urgent crisis of nearly 30,000 households on waiting lists for public housing or Section 8 vouchers - the result of demolition, beginning in 1994, of over 7,000 family public housing units (5,588 apartments and at least 1,500 scattered site homes).
The Welfare Information Network reports that the United States has a severe shortage of affordable housing. Many times, even when families can find housing, the cost and quality of that housing are problematic. More than three fifths of working poor adults with children, who rent their housing, face such cost and quality problems. Both cost and availability contribute to the affordable housing crisis - the high cost of housing exacerbates the tough choices that families are forced to make about their household expenses for essentials, including food, clothing, child care, and medical care.
Given the current state of the economy, it is appropriate that the Council re-examine the availability of affordable, Section 8, and public housing for those of our residents hardest hit by the national fiscal crisis.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, That the Housing Commissioner is requested to brief the City Council on the availability of affordable housing; the backlog of unfilled requests for affordable housing; the number of persons on waiting lists for Section 8 or public housing; and the impact of the possible decrease in CDBG funds on the Baltimore City affordable and public housing markets.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor, the Commissioner of Housing, and the Mayor's Legislative Liaison to the City Council.
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