Rally for a Better Baltimore, Hosted by the Inclusionary Housing Coalition

PRESS RELEASE

09/25/2022

Contact:

Yaslin Machuca (Communications Coordinator)

(410) 241-1405 Yaslin.Machuca@baltimorecity.gov

Char McCready (Citizen Planning and Housing Association, Executive Director)

charm@cphamd.org

Matt Hill (Public Justice Center, Attorney)

410-625-9409, ext. 229 hillm@publicjustice.org

Tisha Guthrie (Baltimore Renters United)

zigtgut@gmail.com

For Immediate Release

INCLUSIONARY HOUSING COALITION HOSTS RALLY FOR A BETTER BALTIMORE

DATE: Monday, October 3, 2022 at 3:30 pm to 4:30 p.m.

LOCATION: West Shore Park, 401 Light Street, Baltimore MD 21202

The Inclusionary Housing Coalition (IHC) is hosting a rally for the hearing and passage of Councilwoman

Odette Ramos’ Inclusionary Housing Bill 22-0195. The rally will take place on October 3rd at 3:30 PM at

West Shore Park (The park adjacent to the Baltimore Visitor Center). The address is 401 Light Street,

Baltimore MD 21202. The rally will be located across the street from 414 Light Street Apartments. It is a

rental building that received a massive subsidy through the High-Performance Market Rate Rental Tax

Credits – $3.5 million in 2020 alone.

The rally will include testimony from several Baltimore City Council members and IHC members. The

the coalition is comprised of the Baltimore Branch of the NAACP, Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership

(BRHP), Beyond the Boundaries, BRIDGE Maryland, Incorporated, Baltimore Renter’s United (BRU),

CASA, Citizens Planning and Housing Association (CPHA), Govans Ecumenical Development Corporation

(GEDCO) Maryland Community Development Network (CDN), Public Justice Center (PJC), SHARE

Baltimore (SHARE), South Baltimore Gateway, and 1199 SEIU. The Coalition will be joined by Baltimore

City Councilmembers who support the new bill. All Baltimore residents, community stakeholders, and

supporters committed to affordable, equitable housing for all are invited to attend.

Over the last 15 years of the previous inclusionary housing policy, Baltimore City allowed several

loopholes and waivers that allowed developers to evade inclusionary housing policy resulting in a mere 37

units of affordable units over —years. “Inclusionary means affordable housing integrated into primarily

market rate building so we don’t repeat the segregation of the past” explains Matt Hill, attorney at

Public Justice Center.

Eighty-six days ago, Baltimore City let this insufficient but necessary law lapse. Join us on

Monday, October 3rd to stop the stall on a hearing for CB 22-0195 and to pass effective legislation

that ensures far more affordable units for all. Char McCready, Executive Director of CPHA adds

“The City must, eliminate its exclusionary activities, cease its divestment into marginalized

communities and begin investing in more equitable practices. It's time for Baltimore to promote

equity, and create safe, affordable housing.” Baltimore Renters United Steering Committee

member Tisha Guthrie remarked: “Baltimore’s housing development policy right now is Separate

and Unequal all over again. We gave out $38 million in tax credits for buildings like this in 2022

alone. But Poppleton didn’t have a pool this summer because the City didn’t have enough funds

to operate a swimming pool. When does it end?”

This bill pertains to developers receiving significant tax subsidies from the cities like TIFs and tax

credits. The bill calls for reasonable measures for developers to include at least 10% of affordable

units for those who earn up to 60% of the area median income. Those developers who receive additional

subsidies must include an additional 5% of units for those who earn below 30% area median income.

“This bill will provide permanent affordable housing in neighborhoods where the market otherwise

prevents their existence. We have an opportunity to change the trajectory of community composition

and place families in areas of opportunity” says Lisa Hodges of Baltimore NAACP.

An Inclusionary housing policy is one tool among many to address the long history of housing

discrimination and redlining in Baltimore. It’s a policy that holds developers who receive funding from

the city accountable to meet some of the housing needs of the city. Cities like Philadelphia, DC,

Chicago, and Pittsburgh have effective inclusionary housing laws protecting affordable units – and

it’s time for Baltimore to follow. The rally will highlight the urgency of this bill as the coalition urges

Baltimore City Council to swiftly set a hearing date. An inclusionary housing policy will help 

create a more equitable Baltimore for all.

Council Bill 22-0195 Legislation

TAKE ACTION: 

https://bit.ly//IH4BMORE

Follow on Twitter:

@b_renters

@CPHA_MD

@naacpbaltimore

#StoptheStall

#StoptheStallPasstheLaw

#BmoreEquitable

#BmoreInclusionary

Coalition Partners Include:

Baltimore Renter’s United (BRU)

Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership (BRHP)

Beyond the Boundaries

Bridge Maryland, Incorporated

CASA

Citizens Planning Housing Association (CPHA)

GEDCO

Community Development Network of MD

MD Center for Economic Policy

NAACP Baltimore

Public Justice Center (PJC)

South Baltimore Partnership

1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East

SHARE Baltimore