Mayor Brandon M. Scott of Baltimore City recently announced enhancements to the Baltimore City Employee Homeownership program. The program seeks to empower the city’s dedicated workforce and promote the middle neighborhoods strategy. The announcement took place at Live Baltimore’s campaign launch event, which encouraged residency in Baltimore.
Middle neighborhoods are described as stable and diverse communities that serve as the backbone of Baltimore City. These areas are neither extremely affluent nor distressed and play a vital role in maintaining urban stability and community well-being. To support these neighborhoods, the administration has allocated $9.7 million for programs that specifically cater to middle neighborhoods. This funding is part of a larger investment of over $100 million from the ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) for housing initiatives.
Mayor Scott emphasized the importance of homeownership in supporting working families and building generational wealth. He stated, “Owning a home means building a community, building wealth, and building a legacy.” The enhancements to the Baltimore City Employee Homeownership Program aim to provide additional support to city employees in pursuing homeownership.
Annie Milli, the Executive Director of Live Baltimore, expressed excitement about the announcement, highlighting that now is an opportune moment for city employees to achieve their dreams of homeownership. The program offers a $5,000 incentive towards down payment and closing costs across the city for the next year. In select neighborhoods, the incentive will be doubled to $10,000. These incentives align with the city’s commitment to investing in communities and strengthening its workforce.
In addition to the employee homeownership program, Baltimore has implemented various initiatives to support middle neighborhoods. These include Wealth Building Home Repair Grants for Legacy Residents, INSPIRE Development Incentives, Buy Back the Block Down Payment Assistance, and Community Organizing Support.
To ensure all employees are aware of their eligibility for incentives and the available programs, the Scott Administration plans to embark on a fall tour, visiting city work sites and engaging with employees about homeownership. By encouraging homeownership, the city not only invests in its neighborhoods but also in the futures of its employees and their families.
Overall, these enhancements to the Baltimore City Employee Homeownership program and the investments in middle neighborhoods demonstrate a commitment to building a more equitable and thriving Baltimore.
Sources:
– Baltimore City Government
– Live Baltimore