EBDI rehab delay causes concerns
Rehab project on Chase Street breaks ground behind schedule due to legal, funding issues
The Middle East neighborhood rehabilitation project is behind schedule, having just broken ground for construction of five houses that developers originally planned to have finished by the end of the month.
Further delaying assistance to residents are funding and developer issues surrounding the "House of a House" program, in which East Baltimore homeowners will be able to relocate to houses within the East Baltimore Development Inc Project area.
"I am so tired of being put on hold, because at this point the only thing that seems to matter is we get a school built, we get a biotech building put in place and yet we still don't have a home," said Donald Gresham, president of Save Middle East Action Committee (SMEAC), a grassroots community organization dedicated to resident interests.
These projects are part of Phase II in the overall construction coordinated by East Baltimore Development Inc. (EBDI), a non-profit consortium of organization Â- including Hopkins - invested in the urban revitalization project.
"We have been trying to work closely with community leaders to move forward as quickly as possible, but need to ensure a certain level of quality to both relocated residents and future home buyers," said President and CEO of EBDI Jack Shannon.
Phase I of the EBDI project relocated 396 families through eminent domain, and Phase II is planning on relocating 900 families, according SMEAC.
EBDI has said that the "House for a House" program can start about 12 weeks after rehabilitation begins.
The group plans to rehabilitate a total of 20 homes, but is constrained by both funding and the law in what they can do and how fast they can do it.
In an effort to move rehabilitations forward, the Annie E. Casey Foundation - an EBDI member - got $27 million this summer.
This funding will help residents who were afraid they would have to mortgage their homes to cover additional rehabilitation costs not covered by their relocation benefits did not cover. This issue had been causing tension between community members and EBDI.
Further delaying assistance to residents are funding and developer issues surrounding the "House of a House" program, in which East Baltimore homeowners will be able to relocate to houses within the East Baltimore Development Inc Project area.
"I am so tired of being put on hold, because at this point the only thing that seems to matter is we get a school built, we get a biotech building put in place and yet we still don't have a home," said Donald Gresham, president of Save Middle East Action Committee (SMEAC), a grassroots community organization dedicated to resident interests.
These projects are part of Phase II in the overall construction coordinated by East Baltimore Development Inc. (EBDI), a non-profit consortium of organization Â- including Hopkins - invested in the urban revitalization project.
"We have been trying to work closely with community leaders to move forward as quickly as possible, but need to ensure a certain level of quality to both relocated residents and future home buyers," said President and CEO of EBDI Jack Shannon.
Phase I of the EBDI project relocated 396 families through eminent domain, and Phase II is planning on relocating 900 families, according SMEAC.
EBDI has said that the "House for a House" program can start about 12 weeks after rehabilitation begins.
The group plans to rehabilitate a total of 20 homes, but is constrained by both funding and the law in what they can do and how fast they can do it.
In an effort to move rehabilitations forward, the Annie E. Casey Foundation - an EBDI member - got $27 million this summer.
This funding will help residents who were afraid they would have to mortgage their homes to cover additional rehabilitation costs not covered by their relocation benefits did not cover. This issue had been causing tension between community members and EBDI.
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Alcohol Rehab
posted 3/18/09 @ 3:11 PM EST
Really? I must admit that I have heard about this some weeks ago, but I didn't want to believe it because it seemed kind of absurd. I guess, it was a wrong thing to do. (Continued…)
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