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Heritage Crossing, Baltimore, MD

BALTIMORE

High Rises Give Way To Heritage Crossing

Nearly 40% of children live near or below the poverty line in Baltimore. Families struggle to pay rents, even in a depressed housing market. For years, residents in neighborhoods blighted by dilapidated, abandoned housing have lived in fear.

In an area of West Baltimore once known as “a playground for drug dealers,” the City and community investors made change a priority. Enterprise Homes, Inc., a for-profit affiliate of the Enterprise Foundation, joined with A&R Development and the City in developing a mixed-income community known as Heritage Crossing. The community, made up of 260 new homes, opened in 2003 on the site of the former George B. Murphy Homes and Emerson Julian Gardens public housing projects.

Developed using federal HOPE VI funds, Heritage Crossing replaces run-down high rises with quality, affordable homes featuring traditional neighborhood design, with sidewalks and paths throughout the community.The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development gave it a Commitment to Excellence Homeownership Award.

Good design has helped attract buyers. Nearly half of Heritage Crossing’s new homeowners came from outside the city, drawn by the new development’s potential. Bringing middle-income homebuyers like these back to Baltimore is an important step toward restoring the city’s overall health.

Financing for Heritage Crossing included equity from Fannie Mae, funding from Chase Manhattan Bank, Legg Mason, and (through Enterprise) Living Cities, as well as construction financing through Bank of America. In addition to the HOPE VI grant from HUD, the project received funding from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development and the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development.