In Baltimore City and surrounding counties there is a housing crisis: the majority of homes being sold today are beyond the reach of most households; and the supply of affordable homes in mixed incoming settings gets progressively scarce the farther one goes down the income scale. Legislative activity is happening now in Baltimore City, and is beginning to happen in the counties, which supporters of policies that will increase the supply of decent affordable housing can get involved in.

IN BALTIMORE CITY: There have been nine public meetings on the Baltimore City Comprehensive Master Plan which sets forth development goals and objectives and specific strategies which the City Council MUST TRANSLATE INTO LEGISLATION. Due to many comments from attendees at the public meetings (including a number who came as a result of Beyond the Boundaries and Murphy Initiative notices) and from emails, Peter Auchincloss, chair of the Planning Commission, said at the last public meeting that the Master Plan’s affordable housing strategy of targeting those households with incomes of 80% to 120% of the area median income (which varies from about $59,000 to $72,000) will be revised. Instead, he said, the plan will target households with much lower incomes, possibly using the Baltimore City Median Income (around $35,000). He also said the recommendations of the Inclusionary Housing Task Force (see next paragraph) will be incorporated into the Master Plan.

The Inclusionary Housing Task Force which was established by the Baltimore City Council and is composed of representatives from community and citizens’ groups, the Baltimore City Housing, Planning, and Development agencies, builders, and real estate will make recommendations on what the city must do to produce and maintains a supply of truly affordable homes in a mixed income setting.

Important Dates: Starting on May 15, the revised Comprehensive Master Plan will be available on-line at www.liveearnplaylearn.com.

On June 15, 2006, at 6:30 p.m. at the War Memorial Plaza, there will be a public hearing on the Comprehensive Master Plan and referral of it to the City Council to be adopted by ordinance. The ordinance will be introduced at the City Council meeting of July 10, with a number of hearings thereafter, and it is projected it will become law in late September.

Between now and late September we will post here notices of meetings and activities to help church members and other interested people to advocate for fair and equitable housing legislation.

IN HOWARD COUNTY: The Interfaith Coalition for Affordable Housing (ICAH) has been advocating for several years for housing affordable to all income groups in Howard County. The ICAH steering committee meets every first Wednesday of the month at the Wilde Lake Interfaith Center from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and invites you to join them.

Contact: Barbara Hope bhope@sjerc.org, 410 964-1438,

Andre DeVerneil drrebus@verizon.net, 410 730-3567.

IN OTHER COUNTIES: In late April, Beyond the Boundaries region leaders for affordable housing advocacy in Baltimore City and surrounding counties will be meeting to share their ideas and plans for a campaign to get popular support for policies that create and maintain truly affordable housing in mixed income settings. As details of meetings and activities become known we will post them here.

Brother Jerry O’Leary, CFX

April 26, 2006