safe streets success stories another foreclosure prevention...
TRANSCRIPT
T hrough the 21st Century Schools Initiative, Baltimore City Public Schools, in partnership with the Maryland Stadium Authority, Baltimore City, and the State, is investing nearly one billion
dollars to renovate or replace schools over the next several years. The Department of Planning (DoP) is leading an initiative for the neighborhoods surrounding each of the new or renovated schools called INSPIRE, which stands for Investing in Neighborhoods and Schools to Promote Improvement, Revitalization, and Excellence.
Arlington Elementary Middle School and Pimlico Elementary Middle School are both part of the 21st Century Initiative. INSPIRE plans are underway at both schools, which will focus on the quarter-mile surrounding each school. Through a community-based listening process, including workshops and focus groups, Planning will develop individual plans outlining
the community’s vision for private investment and implementable public improvements to transportation, housing, and open space.
Throughout the spring, the DoP hosted workshops with members of PHR and community stakeholders to begin to assess and map the existing conditions within the 1/4 mile of each school community. The stakeholders for each school area have also completed surveys and community walk-throughs to further assess the condition of the routes students walk to and from school. Over the summer the steering committees for each school will begin to develop recommendations towards the creation of a draft recommendation report. This will be shared with the community at future INSPIRE workshops for feedback and input.
If you would like to be involved in the INSPIRE planning process in either school community please contact Mary Colleen Buettner at 410-396-5937 or [email protected].
inspireI N S I D ESafe Streets Success Stories
Another Foreclosure Prevention!
Housing Success
What are Video Lottery Terminal Funds?
Securityplus Gives Back
Investing IN
Neighborhoods and Schools
TO PROMOTE Improvement, Revitalization, and Excellence
** Aerial Photo of Pimlico Elementary
Middle School
Aerial Photo of Arlington Elementary Middle School
*
www.BoldNewHeights.com Summer 2016 • Park Heights Rennaissance 1
SUMMER 2016
MOVING FORWARD....
Cheo Hurley Executive Director
For the last year the Park Heights Renaissance team has worked toward making the Park Heigh community a place that’s safe, has great schools, is extremely beautiful and continues its efforts to develop and rebuild strong livable neighborhoods that provide residents with a real sense of place.
To that end PHR continues to support the efforts of Safe Streets in order to make our community secure. We are working in our Community Schools and improving the educational outcomes for young people in Park Heights. In addition we are expanding the Park Heights Clean and Green team to help keep the community clean.
I am proud to be a part of the Park Heights Renaissance team and I look forward continuing to work with each and every resident to continue to move Park Heights forward.
Over the last year the Safe Streets Park Heights team continued its commitment to strengthening Park Heights by helping to ensure safety and security of the lower the Park Heights community. These brave men have kept our streets safe and logged over 230 days without a shooting in their target area police post 612. To ensure that the team is building strong relationships with high risk individuals, they host a several programs that help to execute the mission of reducing shootings and homicides. One such program is the Battle of the Blocks Basketball League, a community wide
basketball league that includes teams from over five different Park Heights Master Plan neighborhoods. This league provided several
dozen youth a place of safety and structure to ensure that they were involved in a productive activity in the evening, a time when most violence occurs. During league play, Safe Streets Violence Interrupters, who are community based employees, have the opportunity to mediate conflicts that could result in gun violence.
To date Safe Streets mediated 108 conflicts. They have made employment referrals for 15 individuals at various businesses including, Sinai Hospital, Broadway Services, and Horse Shoe Casino. In addition, Safe Streets sponsored 7 at risk school aged students with shoes and supplies, and have donated over 20 boxes of food to needy families in our post.
SAFE STREETS PARK HEIGHTS
S U C C E S S
STORIES
2 Park Heights Rennaissance • Summer 2016 www.BoldNewHeights.com
Ms. Best is a retired widow and Park Heights resident, whose mortgage payment and interest rate far exceeded her ability to pay. In March 2016 Ms. Best and sat down with Park Height Renaissance’s Foreclosure Team for her initial assessment session. The assessment indicated a drastic reduction in the household income upon retirement; her expenses far exceeded her income, and if she continued foreclosure was evident.
Upon retrieving the proper paperwork, a home loan modification application was submitted to the lender. In May 2016, she was granted approval for the home loan modification. The modified mortgage payment reduced the previous mortgage payment by almost 50% with a lowered interest rate. Ms. Best was ecstatic, “I am truly grateful for Park Heights Renaissance
and Ms. Gary. A year ago, I knew I was in trouble but I did not know how to face it. Really, I did not want to face it. For over a year, I tried to ignore it. I sat down and did nothing. A friend of mine told me about PHR and I gave them a call. Ms. [Karen] Gary was very compassionate. She made me feel welcomed and seemed to know how I was feeling. She worked with me with compassion and diligence. I am so very grateful to her. It is such a relief to have this resolved.”
On June 3rd, Ms. Best celebrated her 77th birthday! We wish her well with all of her endeavors!
Since January 2016, Park Heights Renaissance has serviced 135 distressed homeowners facing foreclosure.
Another Foreclosure Prevention Success Story!
MY SUPER READER….Mother, Laticia Hill, Tahj Barnes (HIPPY Child)I was approached by a volunteer at my son’s school who praised him for the advanced knowledge he has in all instructional areas in Kindergarten, especially his reading level at age 6. She said to me “whatever you are doing with your son continue!” Ecstatically I responded “thanks to HIPPY Baltimore!”
My son has been enrolled since age 3 and sadly enough he is graduating this June. I have a somewhat mixed feeling, because he is leaving such an excellent program. However, I am elated as I know that whatever he has acquired through the program has been deeply instilled in him and will always be the foundation on which he will build.
HIPPYUSAHome Instruction for Parents of Preschool Youngsters
Securityplus Gives Back to Support Baltimore City SchoolSecurityplus Federal Credit Union recently made a $7,000 donation to Arlington Elementary/Middle School, Baltimore City, in an effort to provide more affordable school uniforms for students.
Understanding the financial burdens families may be faced with in trying to supply the required materials for students to be academically successful, Securityplus committed to supporting Arlington Elementary/Middle School in reducing costs for those families.
Securityplus collected donations at their 6th semi-annual Shred Day event in April to support the highly anticipated sponsorship. The event resulted in approximately 9 tons of shredded material to be recycled or repurposed, and over $1,600 raised on site.
With the generosity of the Shred Day participants in combination with the support of strategic partners, Securityplus was able to raise a total of $7,000 in donations which they devotedly presented to the students and administration of Arlington Elementary/Middle School to aid in the cost of school uniforms for the upcoming school year.
Securityplus Federal Credit Union is a $365 million not-for-profit, member-owned, full service financial institution, with six branches. Securityplus serves over 34,000 members in the greater Baltimore community.
For more information on Securityplus history, upcoming events, products and services, visit securityplusfcu.org.
CONTACT INFORMATION: Erica Glass Marketing Communications Specialist [email protected] 410-281-6248
To find out more about the Spending Plan and/or the
Pimlico Community Development Authority please visit the PCDA webpage at: https://pcdabaltimore.wordpress.com.
For additional information or questions please contact Don Zeigler at [email protected] or 410-396-3796.
STATE LEGISLATURE PASSED LEGISLATION (2007 SB 3) FOR VIDEO LOTTERY TERMINALS, WHICH PROVIDES SLOTS REVENUE FUNDING IN THE FORM OF LOCAL IMPACT AID TO JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE CASINO FACILITIES. The legislation also provides that a portion of the impact aid is directed to the area around the Pimlico Race Track. The current statute provides funds to the Pimlico Area for 20 years, through fiscal year 2032. Of the funds that are earmarked for the Pimlico area, at least 75% must be allocated for the Park Heights Master Plan area and up to 25% for neighborhoods around the Park Heights Master Plan area, as specifically defined in the law.
Video Lottery Terminal Funds at Work in Park HeightsIn April, the Mayor released the FY 2017 Pimlico Local Impact Aid Spending Plan (July 1, 2016 – June 30, 2017) based on the recommendations of the Pimlico Community Development Authority (PCDA).1 The FY17 Spending Plan
provides approximately $4.2 Million dollars for the Park Heights area.
The Spending Plan includes $2.5 Million for demolition of properties in Central Park Heights, around Woodland and Park Heights Avenue, as prioritized in the Park Heights Master Plan, The City is currently in the process of choosing a Master Developer for a 50 acre redevelopment of this area. In addition, the spending plan continues funding of vital programs that provide education services, life skills and job training to youth and young adults in the Park Heights Area.
The Spending Plan also includes funds for public safety programs. The successful Safe Streets program will expand with two more violence interrupters. In partnership with Neighborhoods United and Park Heights Renaissance, new Citizens on Patrol Program will be created with neighborhood volunteers. Funding for Citizens on Patrol will go toward equipment, uniforms and training. There are also additional dollars for a community clean-up program to maintain more vacant lots and to hire additional outreach workers to increase community outreach and engagement.
What are Video Lottery Terminal Funds?
1 The Pimlico Community Development Authority is a group of Pimlico area stakeholders who meet regularly regarding Racetrack Impact Funds, Video Lottery Terminal revenue, and implementation of the Park Heights Master Plan.
www.BoldNewHeights.com Summer 2016 • Park Heights Rennaissance 3
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Cheo D. Hurley Executive Director
PH: 410-664-4890 Ext. 117 Cell: 410-591-0004 [email protected]
Larry Jennings, Jr. Board Chair
Oscar Cobbs Vice Chair
Ellen Parker Secretary
James H. Redd, Jr. Treasurer
Greg Abel
Paul Graziano
Honorable Sharon Green-Middleton
Arthur Hill, III Ed.D
Michelle N. Lipkowitz, Esq.
Stuart Macklin
William McMillan
Martha Nathanson
Lillian Sydnor
Colin Tarbert
Vacarro M. Williams
Elizabeth Wiseman
Deborah Woolford
@ParkHeightsRenaissance
@BoldNewHeights
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
JULY/AUGUST
3939 Reisterstown Road, Suite 268 Baltimore, MD 21215 410-664-4890
7th Annual Road Race • July 16 7:00AM
4151 Park Heights Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21215
Pimlico Community Development Authority Meeting • July 20 6:00PM
3939 Reisterstown Road 1st floor Multipurpose Room
Baltimore, MD 21215
National Night Out • August 2 3:00-8:00PM
Delta Center Community Center 2501 Springhill Avenue
Resident and Community Council Meeting • August 10 6:00-7:00PM
Zeta Center for Healthy and Active Living 4501 Reisterstown Road, Baltimore, MD 21215
Park Heights Renaissance Board Meeting • August 10 6:00-7:00PM
Renaissance Garden Senior Building 1st floor Multipurpose Room
4311 Pimlico Road, Baltimore, MD 21215
Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage
PAIDPermit No. 605Baltimore, MD
Special thanks to Baltimore Housing, The Baltimore City Planning Department, The Pimlico Community Development Authority, and the
Mayor’s Office of Economic & Neighborhood Development for their continued support of Park Heights Renaissance and their contributions to this newsletter.