* 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: President Young and Councilmember Bullock
A Resolution Entitled
A Council Resolution concerning
title
Task Force on Improving Baltimore City's Housing Programs
For the purpose of calling for the creation of a task force to propose revisions to Baltimore City’s housing programs 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.
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Recitals
In Baltimore City 53% of renters and 40% of homeowners pay more than one-third of their income in housing, putting them at risk for housing instability and even homelessness.
In Baltimore City, on any given night, 3,000 people, including children and their families, are homeless.
In Baltimore City, 25,000 households, more than half with children, are on the waiting list for desperately needed federal housing assistance, where they will wait as much as 10 years. Despite this decade-long expected wait, more than 50,000 additional households applied but were not able to get on the waiting list.
The city’s housing problems with respect to the supply, distribution, and quality of affordable housing have been the focus of numerous efforts by the city of Baltimore and there are many programs in place with varying levels of success.
A task force should be established with the duty of studying the results of the City’s various housing programs over the last 10 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 City’s existing programs.
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 housing programs 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 19 voting members:
(1) the Chair of the City Council’s Housing & Urban Affairs committee, or their designee;
(2) the Chair of the City’s Inclusionary Housing Board, or their designee;
(3) the Chief of Operations, or their designee;
(4) the Housing Commissioner, or their designee;
(5) the President and CEO of the Baltimore Development Corporation, or their designee;
(6) the Director of the Department of Planning, or their designee;
(7) 2 representatives of advocacy development organizations;
(8) 5 representatives of developers, representing both the for-profit and non-profit development landscape;
(9) 2 representatives of housing advocacy organizations;
(10) 2 representatives housing research organizations; and
(11) 2 representatives from 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 Chief of Operations, the Housing Commissioner, the President and CEO of the Baltimore Development Corporation, the Planning Director, and the Mayor’s Legislative Liaison to the City Council.