By encouraging investment in redevelopment projects and housing renovations, leveraging of public and private capital, community planning and maximizing reuse of historic structures, the Foundation focuses on those initiatives that foster improvement of downtown and neighborhoods. It further seeks to promote cost-efficient delivery of municipal services, maximize Baltimore's use of competitive funding sources and increase the tax base. The Foundation also encourages efforts to tie the health of the City to the region and state, through the support of housing mobility, regional planning and growth management.

Areas of interest include:

• neighborhood revitalization
  
  
• downtown reinvestment
  
  
• vacant house renovation
  
  
• home ownership investment and preservation
  
  
• business development
  
  
• community planning and facilities
  
  
• regional problem-solving
  
  
• growth management
  
  
• cultural tourism
  
  
• alternative financial services
  
  
• energy-efficiency, green building and sustainable development
  
  
• efficient delivery of City services
  
  
• immigrant community support and advocacy

Learn more about the community development initiatives funded by The Abell Foundation by visiting Publications/Research. More information is also available in our Highlights below.

Community Development Highlights

Maryland PIRG Foundation
"Energy Saved, Dollars Earned: Real-World Examples of How Energy Efficiency Can Benefit Maryland Consumers" was funded by The Abell Foundation to examine Maryland's energy crisis and its opportunity.

Baltimore City Heritage Area - National Heritage Area Management Plan
Baltimore has a rich historic past that is under-recognized and under marketed nationally and internationally. Designation as a National Heritage Area (NHA) by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior would give the city's attractions an internationally recognized brand that denotes an area's unique historic significance and substance. Baltimore lags far behind other cities in accessing federal National Park Service (NPS) funds in support of their tourism and marketing efforts. The National Heritage Area Management Plan will be submitted this fall and, if approved, would give Baltimore up to $1 million annually in federal funding and additional tourist product development and marketing technical assistance support.

Belair-Edison Neighborhoods, Inc.
For years house values in Belair-Edison were stagnant, or falling, despite Baltimore City's upward trend. As recently as 2003, house values in Belair-Edison were decreasing in value. However, Healthy Neighborhoods target block house prices have increased 47% from 2004-2005, and increased 67% from 2000. In 2005, the median sales price jumped 23% to $80,000, and the number of foreclosure filings decreased dramatically, from 245 in 2004 to 157 in 2005.

Brooklyn and Curtis Bay Coalition
To encourage new homeowner investment, the Coalition worked with the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development to assemble contiguous lots, demolish obsolete structures and ready a parcel of vacant land for development. To create a demonstration project, the Coalition requested proposals for new housing construction to maximize energy-efficiency and green building components. Abell grant funds were used to offer a charette and green building training to encourage the highest quality proposals from builders.

Citizens Planning and Housing Association
CPHA, in collaboration the Greater Baltimore Urban League, ACLU, BRIDGE, Faith Fund, PRRAC, and Innovative Housing Institute, has developed a broad strategy to deconcentrate placement of public housing as outlined in the Thompson v. HUD public housing discrimination case. The development of a model housing production strategy includes: congregational land development in communities of opportunity; exploration of application of HUD' s Asset Control Area policy to regional areas; development of a Home Equity Partnership / Section 8 homeownership model; organizing for enforcement of existing state laws requiring right of first refusal for tenants; and application of Thompson principles to the Low Income Tax Credit for program operation in the Baltimore region.

Healthy Neighborhoods (HNI)
To support homeowner investment and encourage new homebuyer purchases in ten Baltimore Neighborhoods, HNI created new loan products for home purchase and renovation. Ten banks contributed to the $40 million loan pool of below-market rate financing. The Abell Foundation provides a $2 million guarantee, matched by the Harry & Jeanette Weinberg and Goldseker Foundations and the Maryland Housing Fund. The loans are intended to create high standards for property improvement, increase home values, and provide additional tools to market the neighborhoods to prospective homeowners.

Holy Nativity and St. John's Development Corporation
Lower Park Heights is plagued by drug violence, low educational achievement, underemployment and fractured families. Two churches, Holy Nativity Episcopal and St. John's Lutheran Church, joined their social ministries toward an ambitious plan to build a new community center. Under construction in 2006, the center will expand the after-school program offered by the churches, attract the first Head Start Program to serve the community and offer a family support program.

Inner Harbor Management Plan - Baltimore City Heritage Area Association
In 2003, the Mayor's Inner Harbor Advisory Committee in 2003 concluded that a management entity to oversee the operation and upkeep of the Inner Harbor was necessary. The Baltimore Waterfront Partnership, a non-profit management entity funded from fees paid by businesses along the waterfront for the upkeep and maintenance of the grounds, was created to address these concerns. Tourist attraction operators, merchants and other businesses were convened to learn more about what destinations visitors need directions to get to, and to determine what other area attractions should be included in a signage system. Wayfinder signage was also developed to provide continuity and uniformity in a cluttered and confusing landscape. These improvements will enhance the Inner Harbor's reputation as an attractive, user-friendly destination.

Jubilee Baltimore and Baltimore Heritage
In a pilot partnership, Jubilee Baltimore and Baltimore Heritage provide community outreach and housing rehabilitation assistance to homeowners and homebuyers in the Marble Hill, Station North, and Hollins Market neighborhoods in hopes of stimulating market demand and homeowner reinvestment. The services are targeted to coincide with Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development offering approximately 45 city-owned vacant properties for sale. Baltimore Heritage offers community outreach and educational programs to make potential buyers aware of the financing programs available, including a lO-year City property tax freeze and a state income tax credit for renovated properties, as well as a $250,000 homeowner façade renovation loan program from the Baltimore City Commission on Historic and Architectural Preservation (CHAP) in Marble Hill. Jubilee offers renovation assistance to individual owner-occupants, including developing a scope of work, selecting and working with a contractor, seeking approvals from historic preservation agencies and securing project financing.

Neighborhoods of Greater Lauraville - Slavie Federal Savings Bank
The Northeast Baltimore neighborhood of Lauraville has a high rate of homeownership and high quality housing, but the housing has typically been under-assessed and undervalued. In 2001, Abell committed to guarantee ten percent of all home improvement loans Slavie Federal Savings Bank offered at below market rates. Slavie has made 21 loans for a combined value of $344,000 in home improvements. With continuing demand for the program, Slavie recently doubled its commitment with Abell guaranteeing ten percent. The nonprofit sponsor, Neighborhoods of Greater Lauraville, which markets the program and pre-screens applicants, reports that in the last two years housing values have increased 11 percent overall.

Office of the Mayor/CitiStat System
CitiStat is the O'Malley administration's hands-on program designed to improve the efficiency, accountability, cost effectiveness and responsiveness of city services and programs. CitiStat hallmarks include accurate and timely intelligence, rapid deployment of resources, effective tactics and strategies, and follow-up and assessment. In 2004, CitiStat received a $100,000 grant in recognition of being named one of five Innovations in American Government Awards. More...

Office of the Mayor/Baltimore City Immigration Expansion Initiative
The reversal of population decline in many cities is due primarily to the growth in immigrant populations. A concentration of immigrants has started to emerge in Baltimore City as immigrants attract others from their horne countries to settle in communities through networking processes. A designated staff position has improved coordination among city agencies, resources, nonprofit organizations and services to assist recent immigrants and to advocate for immigrants and immigrant support strategies.

Patterson Park Community Development Corporation
Alarmed that the number of vacant and foreclosed houses in the neighborhoods north and east of the Patterson Park soared in the early 1990's, Patterson Park Community Development Corporation formed in 1996 to reinvest in housing through purchase, renovation and resale to homeowners or rent to responsible tenants. Since 1997, with funding from fifteen banks and lending institutions, the City, the State and foundations, the organization has sold over 100 renovated homes to owner-occupants and offered 160 renovated homes for rent. The Abell Foundation has supported the creation and growth of the organization through grants, loans, and loan guarantees.

People's Homesteading Group
Phase IV of the Anchors of Hope project focuses on four units to be renovated for affordable homeownership opportunities in the 400 block of East 22nd Street and two units to be renovated for rental opportunities for formerly homeless individuals in the 500 block of East North Avenue. Targeted buyers will have incomes of 50 percent to 80 percent of the median income. The expected home purchase price for Phase IV is $160,000. Pre-development and project development support to People's Homesteading Group will continue their efforts to positively impact the quality and value of the housing market in Barclay-Midway

Public Justice Center
The March 2003 Abell Newsletter reported that Baltimore has a staggering eviction case load that burdens the courts, enables relatively rapid and inexpensive evictions and results in the dumping of tenant belongings in the street. The Public Justice Center researches the processes used in other cities and states, offers legislative and administrative proposals to improve the system, and builds a coalition of advocacy groups to educate and inform residents and policymakers

St. Ambrose Housing Aid Center
St. Ambrose's participation in HUD's Asset Control Area program to buy, renovate and sell FHA-foreclosed houses will result in 60-75 new homeowner households in targeted communities in Northeast Baltimore this year. HUD provides a 50% percent discount on the appraised value of the property and St. Ambrose has arranged for acquisition and renovation financing from local lenders. Prices in these communities have increased from $90,000 to $140,000 in one year.

Visit the Grantmaking section to learn about the steps involved in making a grant application and to see other recently funded grants.