Hogan to bulldoze blight (Baltimore, Cumberland: loans, houses, neighborhoods)

[bufflove]

Originally Posted by pwduvall

The gross incomes of the Baltimore area and the DC suburbs is relatively similar

...umm...no.

[tcave360]

Originally Posted by bus man

In before the haters come on and say that the only time Hogan is willing to spend money in Baltimore is to tear it down.

I think this is a smart move. Even vacant land is less of an eyesore than vacant houses and factories, not to mention less of an attractant to squatters and criminals. And who knows, maybe the empty land can be repurposed to some more productive uses.

I think this would be extremely good for Bmore. If you guys' city government plays smart with this, there could be a lot of opportunity to repurpose the vacant land into community gardens and parks, new housing construction such as modern condo and/or apartment buildings or new townhomes/rowhomes like the ones in Jonestown or the more colorful ones in DC's Navy Yard neighborhood, potential new art venue spaces, new recreational/community centers, new neighborhood bars and taverns, local retail businesses (all of them don't even have to be trendy either, just a good mix will do IMO), restaurants, bookstores, neighborhood libraries, weekly and seasonal designated public market space, etc. There's gonna be a lot of long-term potential for Baltimore to elevate its presence in the Northeast Corridor with this plan of Hogan's, all of that blight is one of major reasons Bmore's evolution has remained mostly slow and on account that it seems like the demolition processes are a long, tedious, and expensive endeavor of the Bmore City gov't from research. That $700 mill is a sweet ass deal if you ask me, might even make up for you guys not getting the funds for the Red Line.

[tcave360]

Originally Posted by pwduvall

Per Capita and household incomes in the Baltimore Metro area are way above the national average and only slightly below the state average. I thinks DC area folks oversell their contribution. The gross incomes of the Baltimore area and the DC suburbs is relatively similar because the Baltimore area has a little more population. Per capita income in Baltimore County is higher than prince George's County's.

Per capita income-wise, Bmore County does score slightly higher than PG County but compared to MoCo, Frederick County, Calvert County, and Charles County, no.

Median household income-wise, Montgomery, Prince George's, Frederick, Calvert, and Charles Counties score significantly higher than Baltimore County. I know Bmore County isn't the only county in the Baltimore area but you wanted to use the County as an example so why not?

Not really "overselling" it here, that's just how it is.

Can't comment on the population til I look up some 2015 numbers.

[bufflove]

Originally Posted by tcave360

I think this would be extremely good for Bmore. If you guys' city government plays smart with this, there could be a lot of opportunity to repurpose the vacant land into community gardens and parks, new housing construction such as modern condo and/or apartment buildings or new townhomes/rowhomes like the ones in Jonestown or the more colorful ones in DC's Navy Yard neighborhood, potential new art venue spaces, new recreational/community centers, new neighborhood bars and taverns, local retail businesses (all of them don't even have to be trendy either, just a good mix will do IMO), restaurants, bookstores, neighborhood libraries, weekly and seasonal designated public market space, etc. There's gonna be a lot of long-term potential for Baltimore to elevate its presence in the Northeast Corridor with this plan of Hogan's, all of that blight is one of major reasons Bmore's evolution has remained mostly slow and on account that it seems like the demolition processes are a long, tedious, and expensive endeavor of the Bmore City gov't from research. That $700 mill is a sweet ass deal if you ask me, might even make up for you guys not getting the funds for the Red Line.

It's not really $700M; it's $75M (spread over 4 years) in state funding to bulldoze and then $600M available in loans/tax incentives for new projects. Who knows if developers will even take the state up on that available financing. I'm not optimistic this will accomplish much. >$20M a year isn't that much money for a city that size and at the end of the day it'll probably just be turning a negligible % of the neglected vacant rowhomes into neglected vacant lots.

[LoveToRow]

Originally Posted by bufflove

It's not really $700M; it's $75M (spread over 4 years) in state funding to bulldoze and then $600M available in loans/tax incentives for new projects. Who knows if developers will even take the state up on that available financing. I'm not optimistic this will accomplish much. >$20M a year isn't that much money for a city that size and at the end of the day it'll probably just be turning a negligible % of the neglected vacant rowhomes into neglected vacant lots.

Of course you're not optimistic about the plan - after all, it's been proposed by an evil Republican. What proposal have you and other Maryland Democrats floated to address urban blight in Baltimore?

Incidentally, I'm not optimistic about it either. The culture of dependency in Baltimore City has been so ingrained by liberals that this money is probably just going to be flushed down the toilet. But the proposal pretty much puts to rest the talking point from the left about how conservatives don't care about Baltimore City or blacks who live in Baltimore City.

[Infinite_heights77]

Maryland is a state of absurdity, high-strangeness and meaningless efficacy!

*Second stage of gentrification! Tear down blighted neighborhoods and remove the long-standing negroid population. Questions? What shall be done with these people? Why did Hogan deliver this news and not Madam Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake? I saw the press conference with her leopard skin outfit on (looking clueless like some bed-wench coming out of massa's compound). Inaddition, Jack Young looked like a field hand hoping to get more gruel next Christmas from the Hogan Plantation (Administration).

Black politicians are so weak in Baltimore!

Originally Posted by baltplanner

Urban decay has been proven time and again to have a negative impact on municipal economics, and social and physical health. Thank god we elected a common sense guy.

Maryland Governor Larry Hogan to announce $700M plan to target Baltimore urban decay - Baltimore Sun

Its absurd and humiliating that one of the wealthiest states in one of the wealthiest countries has so much urban decay.

[Infinite_heights77]

What proposal have you and other Maryland Democrats floated to address urban blight in Baltimore?

*Very interesting question!

Originally Posted by LoveToRow

Of course you're not optimistic about the plan - after all, it's been proposed by an evil Republican. What proposal have you and other Maryland Democrats floated to address urban blight in Baltimore?

Incidentally, I'm not optimistic about it either. The culture of dependency in Baltimore City has been so ingrained by liberals that this money is probably just going to be flushed down the toilet. But the proposal pretty much puts to rest the talking point from the left about how conservatives don't care about Baltimore City or blacks who live in Baltimore City.

[Infinite_heights77]

"I think this would be extremely good for Bmore."

Agreed! But, I lack serious faith in Baltimore City gubment to accomplish anything.

Originally Posted by tcave360

I think this would be extremely good for Bmore. If you guys' city government plays smart with this, there could be a lot of opportunity to repurpose the vacant land into community gardens and parks, new housing construction such as modern condo and/or apartment buildings or new townhomes/rowhomes like the ones in Jonestown or the more colorful ones in DC's Navy Yard neighborhood, potential new art venue spaces, new recreational/community centers, new neighborhood bars and taverns, local retail businesses (all of them don't even have to be trendy either, just a good mix will do IMO), restaurants, bookstores, neighborhood libraries, weekly and seasonal designated public market space, etc. There's gonna be a lot of long-term potential for Baltimore to elevate its presence in the Northeast Corridor with this plan of Hogan's, all of that blight is one of major reasons Bmore's evolution has remained mostly slow and on account that it seems like the demolition processes are a long, tedious, and expensive endeavor of the Bmore City gov't from research. That $700 mill is a sweet ass deal if you ask me, might even make up for you guys not getting the funds for the Red Line.

[Woodlands]

Originally Posted by Parsec

What happens to the people who still live in these neighborhoods? Do they get bought out for $20k which doesn't allow them to buy a home elsewhere?

I think they are only taking down vacants... not occupied homes.

What I don't understand is why it took so long for this to happen. Maybe what Hogan can do, if it is within his authority, would be to seize control of these properties.. possibly under some redevelopment authority at the State level and then work WITH the City but not giving all the control over the process to the City since clearly there are some capacity issues for them to carry out these types of redevelopment projects on their own.. One needs to only look at most of West Baltimore, Park Heights and any other City designated "redevelopment district" to see that. By the state being involved.. you may be able to get national developers involved that are looking to not have to deal with the bush league politics of who you know to get something done in Baltimore City and want the national press of being involved in the redevelopment of the "Freddie Gray" neighborhood which actually would be a good feather in ones hat if it is done right.. Then they could use that do get other contracts in places like Detroit, St. Louis, and other places.


The City Government is the biggest impediment to growth of the City.. Period.. I think the State can and should get involved and if they are investing millions they should have a hand in what happens and not leave it entirely up to the City Politicos and local city fed developers many of whom clearly don't have the community's best interest in mind.

[bus man]

Originally Posted by Infinite_heights77

Maryland is a state of absurdity, high-strangeness and meaningless efficacy!

*Second stage of gentrification! Tear down blighted neighborhoods and remove the long-standing negroid population. Questions? What shall be done with these people? Why did Hogan deliver this news and not Madam Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake? I saw the press conference with her leopard skin outfit on (looking clueless like some bed-wench coming out of massa's compound). Inaddition, Jack Young looked like a field hand hoping to get more gruel next Christmas from the Hogan Plantation (Administration).

Black politicians are so weak in Baltimore!

Hmm, I can't quite tell . . . are you trying to make some kind of analogy to slavery?

In all seriousness, I can't tell what you think about this. Obviously, you're annoyed that Baltimore's black politicians made themselves look subservient (in your eyes, at least) to Maryland's white governor. But what then? Are you therefore opposed to Hogan's plan, because it was thought up by a white man? Do you wish that Baltimore's black politicians had come up with the plan themselves? Would it have been more palatable if it had been a federal initiative and announced by our black president?

And finally, if you strip away the racial tags and political-party labels . . . what is your opinion of the plan itself?