Inclusionary housing bill questioned, lauded
City developers must set aside units for low-income housing
But Ruppert warns of the harm that compliance with these new regulations could have on city revenues.
"If development is slowed by this bill or due to any other reason," Ruppert said, "Baltimore City will be adversely affected. Property tax and transfer tax receipts are large sources or revenues for Baltimore City. If there is a reduction of property sales or property values fall, revenues to the City will fall."
As a member of CPHA, an organization dedicated to neighborhood equity, Caporizzo spent what she described as "countless hours with some of the top developers in the city conducting cost modeling sessions to figure out how to make the ordinance financially feasible."
For Caporizzo, this bill the first step towards what she sees as a new future for the city.
"This bill puts Baltimore in a new direction where we can grow in a healthier and safer way for our kids," she said.
But for Ruppert, the likelihood of any impact is small, because funding is too little and need is too great.
"It is expected that the city will fund the cost offsets to developers required by this ordinance with two million dollars. It is not expected that this two million dollars will create a very large number of affordable dwellings," he said.
"Housing costs are rising faster than income levels," said Robert Embry, president of The Abell Foundation. The nonprofit published a report in September criticizing the Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC).
The report stated that many of the city's housing troubles were linked to failures on the part of HABC, and that these stemmed from mismanagement or a lack of adequate funding from the federal and state level.
The report further stated that while on HABC's watch, "occupied inventory has dropped by 42 percent over the last 15 years."
With virtually no plans to replace the deteriorated units being razed or sold, tenant representatives and housing advocates have watched with growing alarm as they wonder if the Housing Authority has abandoned its mission to house the poor."
"If development is slowed by this bill or due to any other reason," Ruppert said, "Baltimore City will be adversely affected. Property tax and transfer tax receipts are large sources or revenues for Baltimore City. If there is a reduction of property sales or property values fall, revenues to the City will fall."
As a member of CPHA, an organization dedicated to neighborhood equity, Caporizzo spent what she described as "countless hours with some of the top developers in the city conducting cost modeling sessions to figure out how to make the ordinance financially feasible."
For Caporizzo, this bill the first step towards what she sees as a new future for the city.
"This bill puts Baltimore in a new direction where we can grow in a healthier and safer way for our kids," she said.
But for Ruppert, the likelihood of any impact is small, because funding is too little and need is too great.
"It is expected that the city will fund the cost offsets to developers required by this ordinance with two million dollars. It is not expected that this two million dollars will create a very large number of affordable dwellings," he said.
"Housing costs are rising faster than income levels," said Robert Embry, president of The Abell Foundation. The nonprofit published a report in September criticizing the Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC).
The report stated that many of the city's housing troubles were linked to failures on the part of HABC, and that these stemmed from mismanagement or a lack of adequate funding from the federal and state level.
The report further stated that while on HABC's watch, "occupied inventory has dropped by 42 percent over the last 15 years."
With virtually no plans to replace the deteriorated units being razed or sold, tenant representatives and housing advocates have watched with growing alarm as they wonder if the Housing Authority has abandoned its mission to house the poor."
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