The City Arts development is a $17 million project which includes 85 new and rehabbed units in the 400 block of East Oliver Street in Baltimore’s Greenmount West neighborhood.
TRF Development Partners’ (DP) analysis suggests that this development will have three important effects 1) improve economic diversity; 2) significantly reduce abandonment rates and improve safety; and 3) create greater stability and attract additional residents, which would increase the average sales values and stimulate market growth.
DP co-developed the first phase of City Arts with Homes for America and Jubilee Baltimore, to create the 69-unit City Arts Apartments building. The project redeveloped a vacant block into quality affordable housing designed to serve local artists in the Station North Arts and Entertainment District. The City Arts Apartment building has received awards in two national competitions for Low Income Housing Tax Credit developments.
“By caring about the neighborhood and by caring about the people who are here — and caring about the properties that are here — that works. And it can make a difference to people and hopefully to even the city at large… and even more than that.”
— STEWART WATSON
The second phase of the development is the City Arts Historic Townhomes, which created 9 units of energy-efficient, two-bedroom rental homes. The homes, which are part of the City of Baltimore Commission for Historical & Architectural Preservation program, feature stained glass front door transoms and distinctive iron flower boxes created by artisans.
Phase three was 7 units of for-sale townhomes completed in 2013. These developments have created the City Arts residential development area, which converted an entirely vacant and desolate area into one of the city’s most vibrant and affordable residential developments serving local artists and community members alike.
The Renters’ Access Act (RAA) articulated what the City of Philadelphia defines as uniform tenant screening criteria, creates a right to dispute a landlord’s decision to decline an application from a prospective tenant, and right to a next available unit should the dispute produce evidence that the prospective tenant was a qualified applicant.