Comments on: The Outer Harbor Initiative: affordable development districts http://www.audaciousideas.org/?p=230 Audacious Ideas is a blog created to stimulate ideas and discussion about solutions to difficult problems in Baltimore. Wed, 08 Sep 2010 19:11:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Baltimore Slumlord Watch http://www.audaciousideas.org/?p=230&cpage=1#comment-4684 Baltimore Slumlord Watch Tue, 07 Jul 2009 21:17:18 +0000 http://www.audaciousideas.org/?p=230#comment-4684 We agree wholeheartedly with Matt's suggestion above -- however, we'd like to add one condition. We'd like to see the houses owned by the city offered to residents who would like to go from renting to owning...with a time restriction -- they'd have to live in the home for XX-number of years before selling. If they sell before the time restriction has passed, they'd have to pay the city back any financial incentives they received. Adding thoughtful restrictions on the purchases of city-owned property would have cut down on the number of "investors" who swooped into our city to make a fast buck, and would in the future allow our marginal neighborhoods to start having a sustainable future. We agree wholeheartedly with Matt’s suggestion above — however, we’d like to add one condition. We’d like to see the houses owned by the city offered to residents who would like to go from renting to owning…with a time restriction — they’d have to live in the home for XX-number of years before selling. If they sell before the time restriction has passed, they’d have to pay the city back any financial incentives they received.

Adding thoughtful restrictions on the purchases of city-owned property would have cut down on the number of “investors” who swooped into our city to make a fast buck, and would in the future allow our marginal neighborhoods to start having a sustainable future.

]]> By: Franklin Lee http://www.audaciousideas.org/?p=230&cpage=1#comment-4671 Franklin Lee Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:08:45 +0000 http://www.audaciousideas.org/?p=230#comment-4671 The Affordable Development District is an excellent idea! I have long argued that these vacant properties should be viewed as an asset. I would like to suggest another value-added proposition to further encourage such redevelopment. With the City's designation of "Sunshine Zones" in those Districts, the City could mandate (and facilitate the financing for) "Smart Grid" upgrades to the power grid that would support the installation of solar panel arrays above those abandoned properties. In this way, the value of those abandoned properties can be significantly enhanced. The City may even be able to create a new stream of revenue through its production and distribution of electricity from properties that are not yet redeveloped or productive. Following redevelopment, the new residents or tenants of those commercial and residential properties should be entitled to purchase electricity at a significantly reduced rate from the City's Sunshine Zone power grid. To the extent those same residents conserve consumption of electricity to the extent where there is a surplus of electricity generated from those Sunshine Zone properties, they would be entitled to receive a monthly rebate based upon the value of that surplus electricity production that gets re-distributed over the Smart Grid. In this way, the affordability and the desireability of those properties would be enhanced, and the redevelopment opportunity should become more attractive to potential developers too, particularly if they can benefit from green energy tax credits to partner with government in financing the installation of solar panel arrays and energy conservation building materials and technology. Reduction of energy costs is a significant component of affordability for residential and commercial owners alike. Let me know if you have any interest in joining the Baltimore Solar Initiative Braintrust to further refine this concept, or to pursue this approach as an adjunct to your Affordable Development District concept. The Affordable Development District is an excellent idea! I have long argued that these vacant properties should be viewed as an asset.

I would like to suggest another value-added proposition to further encourage such redevelopment. With the City’s designation of “Sunshine Zones” in those Districts, the City could mandate (and facilitate the financing for) “Smart Grid” upgrades to the power grid that would support the installation of solar panel arrays above those abandoned properties. In this way, the value of those abandoned properties can be significantly enhanced. The City may even be able to create a new stream of revenue through its production and distribution of electricity from properties that are not yet redeveloped or productive. Following redevelopment, the new residents or tenants of those commercial and residential properties should be entitled to purchase electricity at a significantly reduced rate from the City’s Sunshine Zone power grid. To the extent those same residents conserve consumption of electricity to the extent where there is a surplus of electricity generated from those Sunshine Zone properties, they would be entitled to receive a monthly rebate based upon the value of that surplus electricity production that gets re-distributed over the Smart Grid. In this way, the affordability and the desireability of those properties would be enhanced, and the redevelopment opportunity should become more attractive to potential developers too, particularly if they can benefit from green energy tax credits to partner with government in financing the installation of solar panel arrays and energy conservation building materials and technology. Reduction of energy costs is a significant component of affordability for residential and commercial owners alike.

Let me know if you have any interest in joining the Baltimore Solar Initiative Braintrust to further refine this concept, or to pursue this approach as an adjunct to your Affordable Development District concept.

]]> By: Lauren http://www.audaciousideas.org/?p=230&cpage=1#comment-4666 Lauren Wed, 01 Jul 2009 15:56:45 +0000 http://www.audaciousideas.org/?p=230#comment-4666 Boulder, CO has a good affordable housing program: properties are offered through the program; the participants must prove their work benefits society, fill out an extensive application, and they must attend homeowner classes that includes economics of owning. (This keeps drug dealers or welfare participants from getting cheap housing without participating in society). This program design should be disseminated to other cities. Boulder, CO has a good affordable housing program: properties are offered through the program; the participants must prove their work benefits society, fill out an extensive application, and they must attend homeowner classes that includes economics of owning. (This keeps drug dealers or welfare participants from getting cheap housing without participating in society). This program design should be disseminated to other cities.

]]> By: Polly Riddims http://www.audaciousideas.org/?p=230&cpage=1#comment-4663 Polly Riddims Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:33:58 +0000 http://www.audaciousideas.org/?p=230#comment-4663 Everyone wonders about the overwhelming number of vacant properties. I'd also like to see development for community based social benefit organizations and entrpreneurs in the neighborhoods. It's so difficult for grassroots groups to find office, retail or drop in space at affordable prices that does not need loads of rehab. It's even harder to find out how to get access to office or retail space as well when you are a small nonprofit organization. If we focused on neighborhoods, rehabbing houses, offices and community spaces, small business opportuntiies, and bring in community services based on the assets and needs of the community, revitalization would sprout up everywhere. (like the Harlem Children's Zone ( a harm free zone) for every neighborhood) Everyone wonders about the overwhelming number of vacant properties. I’d also like to see development for community based social benefit organizations and entrpreneurs in the neighborhoods. It’s so difficult for grassroots groups to find office, retail or drop in space at affordable prices that does not need loads of rehab. It’s even harder to find out how to get access to office or retail space as well when you are a small nonprofit organization. If we focused on neighborhoods, rehabbing houses, offices and community spaces, small business opportuntiies, and bring in community services based on the assets and needs of the community, revitalization would sprout up everywhere. (like the Harlem Children’s Zone ( a harm free zone) for every neighborhood)

]]> By: Matthew Wyskiel http://www.audaciousideas.org/?p=230&cpage=1#comment-4659 Matthew Wyskiel Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:03:18 +0000 http://www.audaciousideas.org/?p=230#comment-4659 Mike: thank you for writing on the OSI Audacious Ideas blog. While I am familiar with Chekapeake Habitat for Humanity, I was not aware of the Outer Harbor Initiative until your post. It sounds like a great idea, and I hope that it succeeds. I view the number of vacant properties owned by the city (via the housing authority or similar entities) counter-productive to the revitalization of Baltimore. Additionally, the pace (or lack there of) at which the city's entities sell (or even make available for sale) these properites seems very slow and essentially impossible for the small rehabbers and developers to particiapte in. Why this is the case is unclear to me. Perhaps the city is scared of getting "egg on its face" from a bad deal (i.e. sale) that is later publicized; if this is the case, then I'd say that this fear is holding back a lot of potential good that could be getting done in our city. The city should make the process of buying vacant houses easy and swift; that would likely go a long way to reducing the number of vacant houses in our city. Matt Mike: thank you for writing on the OSI Audacious Ideas blog. While I am familiar with Chekapeake Habitat for Humanity, I was not aware of the Outer Harbor Initiative until your post. It sounds like a great idea, and I hope that it succeeds. I view the number of vacant properties owned by the city (via the housing authority or similar entities) counter-productive to the revitalization of Baltimore. Additionally, the pace (or lack there of) at which the city’s entities sell (or even make available for sale) these properites seems very slow and essentially impossible for the small rehabbers and developers to particiapte in. Why this is the case is unclear to me. Perhaps the city is scared of getting “egg on its face” from a bad deal (i.e. sale) that is later publicized; if this is the case, then I’d say that this fear is holding back a lot of potential good that could be getting done in our city. The city should make the process of buying vacant houses easy and swift; that would likely go a long way to reducing the number of vacant houses in our city. Matt

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