* 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 Henry
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
title
Task Force on Improving Baltimore City's Inclusionary Housing Program
FOR the purpose of calling for the creation of a task force to propose revisions to Baltimore City's Inclusionary Housing Program which will increase the supply, distribution, and quality of affordable housing across the City, so that we can better meet the needs and demands of current and future residents.
body
Recitals
In 2007, the City of Baltimore enacted an Inclusionary Housing Program to address a recognized lack of quality, well maintained, and affordable housing. While successful inclusionary housing programs generally produce benefits across the community to seniors on fixed incomes, young parents and single parent families seeking communities with good schools and amenities, and businesses who need to hire and retain good employees, it would be hard to argue that Baltimore�s program has been successful. Eight years after enactment, only 32 affordable and inclusive units have been constructed through Baltimore City�s Inclusionary Housing Program.
Today, the City continues to experience a severe housing problem with respect to the supply of quality, well maintained housing, relative to the need for housing for residents with low and moderate incomes. The number of City residents approaching retirement age, with consequent fixed or reduced incomes, continues to increase, as does the number of young adults of modest means, and mercantile and service personnel.
However, in an effort to accrue the positive social benefits which can come from spreading affordable units throughout communities of higher income levels, Baltimore�s existing Inclusionary Housing Program provides no opportunities for property owners interested in reinvesting in existing affordable housing, so as to upgrade their quality, without pricing them out of the reach of those residents with fixed or reduced incomes. Also, with its commitment to holding developers harmless and without a defined source of alternative funding for the subsidy which must be provided to create and/or maintain units at below market rate, the program is inherently unsustainable financially.
A task force should be established with the duty of studying the results of the Inclusionary Housing Program over the last eight years, while also analyzing current and projected demographics and market demands. In the course of reviewing both the initial goals and new ideas for making more units of quality affordable housing available, proposals will be developed based on a determination by the task force of how best to revise the program.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF BALTIMORE, That the Council calls for the creation of a task force to propose revisions to Baltimore City�s Inclusionary Housing Program which will increase the supply, distribution, and quality of affordable housing across the City, so that we can better meet the needs and demands of current and future residents.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Task Force should consist of the following 13 voting members:
(1) the Chair of the City Council�s Housing & Community Development committee, or their designee;
(2) the Chair of the City�s Inclusionary Housing Board, or their designee;
(3) the Deputy Mayor for Economic and Neighborhood Development, or their designee;
(4) the Commissioner of the Department of Housing and Community Development, or their designee;
(5) the President of the Baltimore Development Corporation, or their designee;
(6) a representative of Innovative Housing Institute chosen by its organization;
(7) a representative of the Public Justice Center chosen by its organization;
(8) a representative of the Greater Baltimore Urban League chosen by its organization;
(9) a representative of the Baltimore Development Workgroup chosen by its organization;
(10) a representative of the Urban Land Institute chosen by its organization;
(11) a representative of the Maryland Building Industry Association chosen by its
organization; and
(12) two representatives of the community chosen by the President of the City Council.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Chair of the City Council�s Housing & Community Development committee, or their designee, should serve as Chair of the Task Force, and the Task Force should elect from among its membership a Vice Chair at its first meeting.
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution be sent to the Mayor, the Chair of the City�s Inclusionary Housing Board, the Deputy Mayor for Economic and Neighborhood Development, the Housing Commissioner, the President of the Baltimore Development Corporation, the President of the Innovative Housing Institute, the Executive Director of the Public Justice Center, the President & CEO of the Greater Baltimore Urban League, the Baltimore Development Workgroup, the Urban Land Institute Baltimore Chair, the CEO of the Maryland Building Industry Association, the Deputy Mayor for Government Relations & Labor, and the Mayor�s Legislative Liaison to the City Council.
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