Baltimore Development Corporation wants Baltimore to emulate 3 cities (to move, town)
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Baltimore's not a college town like Philly and Boston. It should look to DC and market itself as an affordable alternative to yuppies/young college grads that want to experience city life but can't afford DC.
Baltimore's not a college town like Philly and Boston. It should look to DC and market itself as an affordable alternative to yuppies/young college grads that want to experience city life but can't afford DC.
THIS! Been saying this for so long. Rent for a 1BDR in DC is at least $1700 (and that's low end), and good luck trying to buy a house there. Baltimore could seize so much money from the DC economy by improving MARC/expanding its services, and marketing the crap out of its affordability for DC buyers.
Virginia has already done this, but here again, Maryland still lags behind.
THIS! Been saying this for so long. Rent for a 1BDR in DC is at least $1700 (and that's low end), and good luck trying to buy a house there. Baltimore could seize so much money from the DC economy by improving MARC/expanding its services, and marketing the crap out of its affordability for DC buyers.
Virginia has already done this, but here again, Maryland still lags behind.
Live Baltimore used to advertise extensively in the DC metro subway stations by comparing and constrasting the cost of living, house for the money and what not to subway riders. It seemed to be quite successful prior to the housing bust. They even had Happy Hours on H Street, Cap Hill and in Union Station. I moved here because of my interaction with Live Baltimore and volunteer periodically for their Buying into Baltimore Tours where they focus open houses for listing in various neighborhoods. If you never been its a good way to learn about the City.
Live Baltimore used to advertise extensively in the DC metro subway stations by comparing and constrasting the cost of living, house for the money and what not to subway riders. It seemed to be quite successful prior to the housing bust. They even had Happy Hours on H Street, Cap Hill and in Union Station. I moved here because of my interaction with Live Baltimore and volunteer periodically for their Buying into Baltimore Tours where they focus open houses for listing in various neighborhoods. If you never been its a good way to learn about the City.
Yes, I remember Live Baltimore's campaign, it was good. That is really cool that you volunteer in that.
We bought our first house in Lauraville in 1999 and got a SELP loan (was it fro closing costs or down payment? don't remember details...), but it was very affordable, down right cheap. So the city was encouraging homeownership.
Of course a year later once MOM was mayor and still live on Walther Blvd next door in Beverly Hills (used to see him at mass at St Francis in Mayfield just down Harford Rd), I attended a jam packed community meeting against the expansion of Section 8 in Hamilton and Lauraville. The meeting was attended by homeowners, black and white, and all were opposed. We had a HUD house next to us and it had awful tenants. Once they left, that house sat fallow for a while and hten was bought by a couple like us, young, kids, inexpensive fixer-upper house and that improved the neighborhood.
Yes, I remember Live Baltimore's campaign, it was good. That is really cool that you volunteer in that.
We bought our first house in Lauraville in 1999 and got a SELP loan (was it fro closing costs or down payment? don't remember details...), but it was very affordable, down right cheap. So the city was encouraging homeownership.
Of course a year later once MOM was mayor and still live on Walther Blvd next door in Beverly Hills (used to see him at mass at St Francis in Mayfield just down Harford Rd), I attended a jam packed community meeting against the expansion of Section 8 in Hamilton and Lauraville. The meeting was attended by homeowners, black and white, and all were opposed. We had a HUD house next to us and it had awful tenants. Once they left, that house sat fallow for a while and hten was bought by a couple like us, young, kids, inexpensive fixer-upper house and that improved the neighborhood.
I can see that issue becoming more of an issue especially in places like Overlea and Gardenville where single family four squares are being converted into duplexes. Not necessarily for Section 8 (which has some degree of standards) but for any John Doe who wants to rent week to week or month to month for reasons unknown to anyone but themselves and dont care about where they lay their head because they have few options for whatever reason.. That single factor deterred me from buying a nice home over in NW Baltimore up near Forest Park/Howard Park.. The house was a real nice rehab but was next door to a large house with four mail boxes on the door and a couch on the porch along with a rickety staircase that went up to a top floor (likely illegal unit) in the attic. The pool of cigarette butts next to the porch led me to believe the stoop was a "hang out" came back that Saturday night and confirmed that it was and some sort of halfway house. I feel sorry for whoever bought that place.. the home next door has continued to go DOWN..... Again I know that these folks have to live somewhere but it certainly changes the dynamic of a neighborhood if you want it to be populated with families with kids..it wont happen.
I can see that issue becoming more of an issue especially in places like Overlea and Gardenville where single family four squares are being converted into duplexes. Not necessarily for Section 8 (which has some degree of standards) but for any John Doe who wants to rent week to week or month to month for reasons unknown to anyone but themselves and don't care about where they lay their head because they have few options for whatever reason.. That single factor deterred me from buying a nice home over in NW Baltimore up near Forest Park/Howard Park.. The house was a real nice rehab but was next door to a large house with four mail boxes on the door and a couch on the porch along with a rickety staircase that went up to a top floor (likely illegal unit) in the attic. The pool of cigarette butts next to the porch led me to believe the stoop was a "hang out" came back that Saturday night and confirmed that it was and some sort of halfway house. I feel sorry for whoever bought that place.. the home next door has continued to go DOWN..... Again I know that these folks have to live somewhere but it certainly changes the dynamic of a neighborhood if you want it to be populated with families with kids..it wont happen.
We went thru exactly this in Lauraville as there were a few houses cut up into apartments (ours was one - I uncut it and restored the french doors in the formal parlor/front room, redid all the wood floors, added a bathroom etc) and a few halfway houses. I joined the Citizens on Patrol and and spent one night a month cruising the streets with a police radio.
There are challenges to living most places. If we would have kept that house, it would be nearly paid off by now. Some neighbors were great, some weren't. One of the most uncomfortable things was that most of the black neighbors would not talk to us, a young white couple - we had lived at west for a few years and were not accustomed to what was basically a low grade hostility. When you can't say "hi neighbor, how you doing? over the back fence, something is wrong.
We went thru exactly this in Lauraville as there were a few houses cut up into apartments (ours was one - I uncut it and restored the french doors in the formal parlor/front room, redid all the wood floors, added a bathroom etc) and a few halfway houses. I joined the Citizens on Patrol and and spent one night a month cruising the streets with a police radio.
There are challenges to living most places. If we would have kept that house, it would be nearly paid off by now. Some neighbors were great, some weren't. One of the most uncomfortable things was that most of the black neighbors would not talk to us, a young white couple - we had lived at west for a few years and were not accustomed to what was basically a low grade hostility. When you can't say "hi neighbor, how you doing? over the back fence, something is wrong.
I think that is a universal challenge here in Baltimore especially in areas that may have been one race and close knit for a long period of time. I have had friends that are white say the same thing about whites in Hampden who thought they were "yuppies" or "hippsters" and thus didnt associate with them because they felt they would "make fun of them/look down or judge them" He only discovered that sentiment after he made some in roads and became friends with one longtime family. Areas like Canton, Fells Point, Fed Hill have reached a tipping point where most people are likely not from the neighborhood and maybe not even from Baltimore.. so it probably feels more friendly. I dont know when you were in Lauraville last.. but I imagine its probably change somewhat in that direction as well. There are still ALOT of areas in Baltimore that havent and the "YO WHITE BOY" or silent treatment prevail... especially in the border areas north of Patterson Park. Most African Americans transplants to Baltimore that I have talked to either opt for the County but some do move into some of the trendier predominately white neighborhoods. A few have move into Res Hill, Ashburton, Lauraville, Hunting Park and Ten Hills most of which are fairly diverse. Others that have moved into other parts of the City have reported similiar "issues" with their neighbors which they attribute to the divergent background/culture since they are from Atlanta and their neighbors are life long Baltimoreans....
"..Others that have moved into other parts of the City have reported similiar "issues" with their neighbors which they attribute to the divergent background/culture since they are from Atlanta and their neighbors are life long Baltimoreans....
*I want to build a topic of discussion off of this statement.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Woodlands
I think that is a universal challenge here in Baltimore especially in areas that may have been one race and close knit for a long period of time. I have had friends that are white say the same thing about whites in Hampden who thought they were "yuppies" or "hippsters" and thus didnt associate with them because they felt they would "make fun of them/look down or judge them" He only discovered that sentiment after he made some in roads and became friends with one longtime family. Areas like Canton, Fells Point, Fed Hill have reached a tipping point where most people are likely not from the neighborhood and maybe not even from Baltimore.. so it probably feels more friendly. I dont know when you were in Lauraville last.. but I imagine its probably change somewhat in that direction as well. There are still ALOT of areas in Baltimore that havent and the "YO WHITE BOY" or silent treatment prevail... especially in the border areas north of Patterson Park. Most African Americans transplants to Baltimore that I have talked to either opt for the County but some do move into some of the trendier predominately white neighborhoods. A few have move into Res Hill, Ashburton, Lauraville, Hunting Park and Ten Hills most of which are fairly diverse. Others that have moved into other parts of the City have reported similiar "issues" with their neighbors which they attribute to the divergent background/culture since they are from Atlanta and their neighbors are life long Baltimoreans....
The BDC does have a "Main Street" program that focuses on neighborhood commercial areas like Waverly, Lauraville, Hamilton, and West Baltimore Streets proper. That said.. there charge is still mainly based in mixed use large scale commercial development projects. The agency that "should" be responsible for neighborhood development strategies should be the Mayor's Office of Neighborhoods. Or atleast that is who I would charge with that responsibility of marshalling the city's resources to assist neighborhoods with implementing redevelopment plans, concepts, and ideas in partnership with other City Agencies.. with this office providing the lead. >THis would provide an opportunity for a true partnership between residents and the highest office in the City.. not to mention.. if successful would guarantee any incumbent Mayor re-election....
I kind of hate keeping a thread alive past its time but I have to relay what an aid to the mayor told me last week. We were discussing community commercial development and the aid repeated what Bill Cole said about forces aligned against a more activist policy. Not being an insider, I have tried to ask around about who these forces are and their argument against commercial activity in neighborhoods.
The only answer I got was Joan Floyd. Frankly I'm surprised that one community activist could be so powerful that she could drive policy citywide. I will admit that she is a force to be reckoned with in North Baltimore because of her willingness and ability to file large numbers of lawsuits against development projects. But citywide influence? Could there be other people and institutions that the Mayor is concerned about?
I guess that when you are an insider you just know this stuff. But to an outsider this all seems shadowy.
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Again I know that these folks have to live somewhere but it certainly changes the dynamic of a neighborhood if you want it to be populated with families with kids..it wont happen.
