Issue Position: Building the Best Baltimore Through Housing Policies That Benefit All

Issue Position

Brooke knows that housing policy is a force underlying so many of the other challenges we face as a City:

Housing policy is healthcare policy. HUD can now predict a child's life expectancy based on his or her zip code. Healthy, habitable housing is a significant problem in Baltimore City and Maryland. Substandard conditions like roaches, mold, rats, lead paint, and asbestos create and perpetuate terrible health conditions like asthma and lead poisoning in our most vulnerable populations. Brooke is dedicated to ensuring that our City and State can lead the way to clean up properties so that children and families can live and grow in a safe environment.

Housing policy is education policy. No other education reform effort has had more dramatic, successful results for children than mixed-income classes. Where you live matters, and schools with racial, religious and economic diversity excel. As development continues in the City, Baltimore must ensure that its housing policies work for all families.

Housing policy is jobs policy. When our neighborhoods are divided into "haves and have nots," some of our residents end up far from jobs and the public transportation needed to access those jobs.

Brooke believes that every Baltimore family wants the same basic things when it comes to housing: a safe home in a clean neighborhood with access to green parks and strong schools. Brooke will fight to recognize a human right to housing that ensures everyone has access to safe, affordable, high-quality housing opportunities within their communities. To achieve this goal, Brooke supports efforts like improving inclusionary zoning in Baltimore, expanding community input into development, and banning source-of-income discrimination.

Baltimore City has an inclusionary housing law that was supposed to create affordable housing opportunities in new, gentrifying housing developments. Unfortunately, the law is fairly weak and has created very few units since its enactment over five years ago. Brooke will make sure that the State supports Baltimore City in creating effective inclusionary zoning policy.
Equal Access to Housing Regardless of Source of Income. Many people in Baltimore City and Maryland face discrimination in housing based on their source of income. Some are excluded from housing because they receive social security income, veterans' benefits, government assistance vouchers, or even employment benefits. As a result, many families are unable to live in diverse, mixed income communities. Brooke will work in the General Assembly to combat this discrimination by enacting legislation that will strengthen Maryland's fair housing law to prevent discrimination based on "source of income."
Helping Baltimoreans Hold Onto Their Homes. Thousands of homes each year in Baltimore City and Maryland are sold at tax sale, and many are sold to speculators because of relatively small water bills or tax debts. Speculators then pile on legal fees, filing fees, and 18% interest until a small bill becomes an insurmountable obstacle to holding onto a home for seniors, low-income families, and persons with disabilities. Often speculator-purchased tax sale foreclosures sit vacant for years with no immediate development plans. Baltimore and Maryland should look to other communities that better assist families in keeping their homes out of tax sale foreclosure. Solutions include empowering housing counselors and community land trusts to help owner-occupants keep their homes or quickly turning around vacant tax sale properties to productive use for the community. In the General Assembly, Brooke will work with State and City officials to ensure that best practice programs and good ideas from other jurisdictions are adapted to meet Baltimore's own unique needs.

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