Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist

Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist
Journalist @baltimoresun writer artist runner #amwriting Md Troopers Assoc #20 & Westminster Md Fire Dept Chaplain PIO #partylikeajournalist
Showing posts with label Governance Housing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Governance Housing. Show all posts

Saturday, February 19, 2005

20050218 Live Near Your Work Program Resurrected by Deitrich Curry

20050218 Live Near Your Work Program Resurrected by Deitrich Curry

Live Near Your Work Program Resurrected by Deitrich Curry

Capital News Service Friday, February 18, 2005

ANNAPOLIS - Genora Brown has been a homeowner for five years after accepting a $3,000 incentive to live closer to her work, but others haven't had the same opportunity since the program that provided the grant closed in 2003.

Now one lawmaker has introduced legislation to resuscitate the program that made it possible for Brown to walk to her Johns Hopkins University job.

"I'm a new homeowner and that's something to be proud of," said Brown at Thursday's hearing before the House Environmental Matters Committee.

The Live Near Your Work Program began in 1997 to encourage homeownership and reduce commuting long distances by providing an incentive for buying a home close to work.

The state, localities and employers each contributed $1,000 for a total incentive of $3,000.

State funding cuts eliminated the program in 2003.

"It was really just getting off the ground," said the bill's sponsor, Delegate Maggie McIntosh, D-Baltimore County.

The bill will require that the governor include at least $250,000 annually in fiscal years 2007 and 2008 for the Department of Housing and Community Development to fund the program. Funds are not to exceed $500,000.

During the program's six-year run, the state provided $1.35 million for 997 grants in Baltimore, Baltimore County, Prince Georges County, Montgomery County, College Park, Hagerstown, Westminster and Salisbury.

About 130 employers participated including Johns Hopkins University, The Baltimore Sun Co., Morgan State University, Perdue Farms Inc. and Pepsi Cola Bottling Co.

McIntosh said the return is one of the best parts about this program.

"State dollars leverage more than twice their amount," McIntosh said.

There was no opposition to the bill at the hearing and McIntosh said the bill had a good chance of passing because of its "very low" cost.

The governor's office said it had no opinion on the bill.

While the state ended its funding for the program, Baltimore City continued to participate, providing a total of $2,000 for each family from the city and the employer.

The program has aided more than 300 families over the past two years.

Homes were purchased at an average cost of $93,776 and had a median cost of $830,000, according to a report released by The Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors.

About 56 percent of the new homebuyers had an annual household income of $50,000 or less, the report also revealed.

Still, the city is ready for the state to join the program again.

"We are ready, willing and able to be the third party," said Kenneth J. Strong, homeowners' office director of the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development.

Employers and local jurisdictions can decide how far the person must live from their work to qualify. Some jurisdictions paid the incentive for people to live in certain, underpopulated areas.

Westminster Mayor Kevin Dayhoff said the program has helped revitalize his city by increasing families and citizens.

"A small amount of money can make a big difference when a young family purchases a home," he said.

Delegate Kumar Barve, D-Montgomery, an Environmental Matters Committee member, said the program has a variety of benefits.

"It encourages people to live where they work, while preventing congestion and improving the environment," he said.

Delegate Barry Glasman, R-Harford, also a committee member, called it a " laudable program."


Copyright © 2008 University of Maryland Philip Merrill College of Journalism

http://www.journalism.umd.edu/cns/wire/2005-editions/02-February-editions/050218-Friday/LivingProximity_CNS-UMCP.html

Wednesday, September 15, 2004

20040914 Westminster acquires properties by Greg Guenthner for the Carroll County Times

20040914 Westminster acquires properties by Greg Guenthner for the Carroll County Times

Westminster acquires properties by Greg Guenthner for the Carroll County Times

September 14, 2004

City officials approved the purchase of two properties on Union Street to be rehabilitated.

The duplex, located at 45 and 47 Union St., will be sold to low or moderate income families to promote homeownership, said Karen Blandford, the city's housing and community development manager.

The city housing department hopes to change the balance between renters and homeowners in Westminster, Blandford said.

The houses will be sold in a shared equity program, Blandford said, which will allow the city to maintain a share in the appreciation of the property. The program also guarantees that the home will not be sold as a rental unit.

In other business:

Council approved the appointment of Calvin Wray Mowbray Jr., to the Carroll Regional Airport Technical Advisory Committee.

Mowbray is a pilot with a background in management and marketing.

Mayor Kevin Dayhoff issued a proclamation for Constitution Week for the week of Sept. 17-23.

Dayhoff also issued a proclamation recognizing Disabled American Veterans Forget-Me-Not Month.

- Greg Guenthner

Westminster Mayor 200105 200505 Kevin E. Dayhoff proclamations, Westminster Housing initiatives, Carroll County Regional Airport, Westminster Scrapbook Union St., Media journalists Guenthner - Greg Guenthner

Monday, March 29, 1999

19990328 Baltimore Sun: Home rehabilitation loans offered to low-income Westminster residents By Kristine Henry

19990328 Baltimore Sun: Home rehabilitation loans offered to low-income Westminster residents By Kristine Henry

Home rehabilitation loans offered to low-income Westminster residents

Originally published on Mar 28 1999 by the Baltimore Sun. Article written by Kristine Henry, Baltimore Sun Staff

As Westminster prepares to beef up its housing-code enforcement, the city has begun administering a loan program to help low-income residents fix up their homes.

The Maryland Housing Rehabilitation Program is also administered by the county, but city officials wanted a stronger emphasis on the program. The city recently hired a full-time coordinator to handle the loans for Westminster residents.

"We have a lot of housing stock that's very old and it's tired. It's owned by people on fixed incomes and there are things they'd like to do but they can't afford it, but they don't want to move," said Ray Fleming, the city's rehabilitation coordinator at the Office of Housing and Community Development, which is running the program.

"If a 75-year-old woman is living on Social Security, she can't put a roof on the house herself and she does not have the money to hire someone to do it, so it gets deferred," he said.

The loan program is aimed at people whose income is too low to make them eligible for commercial loans, or people who have spotty credit histories, Fleming said.

"The idea is to finance major rehabilitation projects. You might be talking about things like bringing the house up to code, new roofs, new siding, replacing windows or weatherproofing. Things that improve the livability of a house, not just cosmetic things."

The interest rate varies between 4.5 percent and 7 percent with 20 to 30-year terms. To qualify, a single person must have an annual income of less than $36,000; a two-person household's income can't exceed $41,150.

"If their income is very low, they may qualify for a deferred loan," Fleming said. "They would have no payments due until the property is sold. If they borrowed $4,000 for a roof, we would put a $4,000 lien on the house and the loan would be repaid when the person passes away or when the house is sold."

Landlords whose properties have four or fewer units may be eligible.

Karen Blandford, Westminster's manager of housing and community development, said use of the loans at the county level was low.

"In the last 18 months there were three loans countywide. We believe there is more of a need than is being met," she said. "We want to reach out as far as possible. With a local staff person it's a whole lot easier to do marketing, outreach and work one-on-one with people who need assistance."

Fleming said he plans to scour the city, looking for homes in disrepair and mailing information to the owners. He will also speak to local organizations such as church groups and neighborhood associations. He encourages people to let him know of others who may benefit from the loans but are unaware of them, such as elderly relatives or neighbors.

One of his main goals, he said, is to ease people's fears about red tape. He said a short phone call is often enough to see if a person qualifies and if participation in the program is appropriate. Fleming will also help fill out the paperwork. "We'll sit there as long as it takes to help them with it," he said.

So far, no one has applied for a loan, he said, although there have been inquiries. Blandford said the city can administer as many loans as needed.

Fleming is overseeing several other loan programs. The Special Targeted Applicant Rehabilitation Program is similar to the regular rehabilitation loan program, but is aimed at people with lower incomes. No payments are due until the home is sold.

A Lead Hazard Reduction Grant and Loan Program helps homeowners -- and owners of rental properties with up to 100 units -- remove hazardous lead paint from their properties. There is no income limit for the program.

"Entire neighborhoods will benefit if properties are maintained better and are able to be brought up to code," Blandford said.

"One bad house brings everybody down. We want to strengthen all neighborhoods without displacing tenants, and these programs really do help." she said.

For information about the loans, call Ray Fleming at 410- 848-2261, or pick up a brochure at the Office of Housing and Community Development in the Winchester West Building at 56 W. Main St.


Originally published on Mar 28 1999:
http://www.sunspot.net/cgi-bin/editorial/story.cgi?section=archive&storyid=1150070209447

Westminster Housing and Community Dev, Westminster Housing initiatives,