Sleeping in a shelter, a car, or an abandoned building is the reality for many working parents with children. But Heart’s Place Services, Inc. plans to provide a pathway to homeownership for families experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity.
The non-profit, serving poor and homeless residents in Baltimore City with an emphasis on programs for families and children, will break ground next week on the “Hope Village” houses in east Baltimore’s Oliver neighborhood.
The “village,” comprising 13 brand-new, fully furnished homes, will be built in the 1300 block of Holbrook Street in Oliver. Homeowners are expected to occupy the homes by the end of 2022.
Each house will be sold for $25,000 through a financing program developed by The Harbor Bank of Maryland Community Development Corporation to make homeownership more attainable for low-income wage earners.
Homebuyers are required to complete free financial literacy and budgeting courses before completing the loan application to ensure the success of their transition from homelessness to homeownership.
After the sale of each house, homeowners will receive social services through the University of Maryland School of Social Work.
“This is a new concept to end homelessness, public and private partners working together to help low-income families rise from poverty to embrace the health of decent housing and the wealth of homeownership,” said Christian Wilson, executive director of Heart’s Place Services. “As a pilot program it will be a game changer for Baltimore City and other municipalities facing the challenges of homelessness by rebuilding lives and their communities.”
The groundbreaking ceremony for the project will be July 12 at 10 a.m.
For more information about Heart’s Place Service, visit www.feedinghomelesschildren.org.
