Dear Friends:

Sun Photo - Lloyd Fox

This week Rev. Jesse Jackson came to Bethel AME Church to encourage Baltimore clergy to pressure banks to restructure loans for Baltimore homeowners who are in danger of losing their homes to foreclosure.

As you may have heard, last week the City of Baltimore filed a federal lawsuit against Wells Fargo Bank for targeting Baltimore’s African-American neighborhoods for higher interest subprime mortgages, resulting in a disproportionate number of foreclosures in these communities.

Click to enlarge

The map shown at left, "Initiation of Foreclosure Proceedings 2006 and First-Half 2007" illustrates the devastating effect foreclosure has had on neighborhoods throughout the City. As disturbing as this picture is, it only hints at the real-life impact of foreclosures on hard-working families and individuals.

The City’s lawsuit seeks compensation for the damage these foreclosures have visited upon Baltimore residents. With this legal action, we choose not to accept our families living with this kind of distress. We choose not to allow the banking industry to take advantage of homeowners in Baltimore. Meanwhile, the City of Cleveland has also filed a lawsuit against 21 lenders for the loss of hundreds of millions of lost tax revenue and the expense of police and fire protection for abandoned homes.

We cannot allow the mortgage industry to hold our City’s future hostage by targeting our most vulnerable citizens. As we remember Dr. Martin Luther King this weekend, it is fitting that we recall his words, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

PLEASE NOTE: If you are a city resident struggling with mortgage payments, I encourage you to call 1-888-995-HOPE, a 24/7 hotline sponsored by the Baltimore Homeownership Preservation Coalition. The hotline is staffed by professional housing counselors, who will provide you with information and access to lenders and connect you with local agencies for assistance.

http://www.preservehomeownership.org

 

Stephanie Rawlings-Blake
President, Baltimore City Council

Important Notice for Baltimore Homebuyers/Homeowners: The Homestead Property Tax Credit

In Baltimore, the Homestead Tax Credit limits the amount of annual increase in taxable assessments for owner occupied properties to 4%. If your home's assessed value increases more than that, you will only be taxed on the first 4% of that increase. Previously, this credit was automatically granted, but legislation enacted by the 2007 session of the Maryland General Assembly requires homeowners to submit a one-time application in order to continue their eligibility for the homestead tax credit. The primary reason for this change in law was due to the fact that some property owners were improperly receiving the credit on vacation homes and rental properties.

This application was included in assessment notices that were mailed to one-third of Baltimore City property owners on December 28, 2007. If you have further questions you can visit the Maryland Department of Assessments website at www.dat.state.md.us

Homestead Tax Credit Application

Mayor, City Council Seek Applicants for Baltimore City Youth Commission

The Mayor and the City Council of Baltimore City are seeking young people between the ages of 14 to 25 to serve on the Baltimore City Youth Commission.

The purpose of the Youth Commission is to allow youth the opportunity to provide advice, recommendations, and information for the Mayor, the City Council, and municipal agencies on the development of community and government policies, programs, and services that support children, youth, and their families. All voting members of the Youth Commission will serve for a term which expires at the end of the Mayor’s term. At the completion of the term the voting member will continue to serve until a successor is appointed. Members of the Commission are not entitled to compensation for their service on the Commission. All Youth Commissioners MUST be residents of Baltimore City.

For more information see application form

Grants Available for Eligible Organizations in the Baltimore City Heritage Area

Grant applications for the next round of grants from the Maryland Heritage Areas Authority Financing Fund are due to the offices of the Baltimore City Heritage Area by close of business on March 7, 2008. The Fund provides matching grants to assist activities which address or complete a priority identified in the Baltimore City Heritage Area Management Action Plan. To see if your organization is within the certified boundary of the Baltimore City Heritage Area, review the Heritage Area Map.

Grant requests of up to $50,000 for non-capital projects, and $100,000 for capital projects are encouraged. Eligible activities include planning, design, interpretation and programming, as well as property pre-development, acquisition, development, rehabilitation and restoration. Please note that a cash match of at least 75% of the grant amount requested is required and that other Maryland state funds may not be used as part of the match.

Application packages can be mailed or hand delivered to the Baltimore City Heritage Area, Office of the Mayor, 346 City Hall, 100 N. Holliday Street, Baltimore, MD 21202. For more information and questions on whether or not your project is a priority identified in the Baltimore City Heritage Area Management Action Plan, contact Jeff Buchheit at Jeffrey.buchheit@baltimorecity.gov or call (410) 396-1954.

Download Heritage Area grant application

About the Maryland Heritage Preservation and Tourism Areas Program

City Council This Week

The City Council has recessed until January 28, 2008.

Saturday, January 19

Workshop: Small Office Home Office Loan (SOHO)
Small Business Resource Center, Johns Hopkins @Eastern Campus, 1101 E. 33rd St., Suite C307 Do you need a business loan between $5,000 and 50,000? Do you operate a retail service, or home-based business? Participate in the SOHO Loan Workshop: No business plan collateral or financials needed. Call 443-451-7160 to register. Details at www.sbrcbaltimore.com

Sunday, January 20

Enoch Pratt Library’s Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Lecture Presented by Rev. Tim Tooten of WBAL-TV11, Wheeler Auditorium, Central Library, 400 Cathedral St., 2pm. 410-396-5430.

Greater Baltimore – Washington Chinese New Year Celebration
Lyric Opera House, 140 W. Mt. Royal Ave., 7 pm. Celebrate 2008, the Year of the Rat with performances including traditional Chinese music, acrobats, kong fu and dance demonstrations.
www.jhu-casa.org

Monday, January 21

City Holiday: Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday. Public Works Office Closed - No Trash Pickup, Parking Meters In Effect

Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Events Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday Parade 12 noon, steps off at MLK Boulevard and Eutaw Street, and travels south on MLK Boulevard. 410-752-8632. Freedom Dreams: From MLK to the Present The Park School of Baltimore, 2425 Old Court Road, 9am-Light breakfast, Program at 10am. Park School presents performances, music and stories by Jeffrey McCune, American Studies Professor at U of MD, College Park, Contact Valerie Braice at 410-339-4132 or vbrice@parkschool.net. MLK Day Celebration At The Walters Art Museum will feature art projects, theatrical performances, and more, 11am-4pm, free, www.thewalters.org. Free Health Screenings in Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Kaiser Permanente City Plaza Medical Center, 10 Hopkins Plaza, 9:30am-2pm. Kaiser Permanente, Baltimore Healthcare Access, and the Baltimore City Health Department are teaming up to honor Martin Luther King's legacy by providing a day of free health care and assessments for uninsured families. Primary care physicians will be available for free medical assessments. Patients must be uninsured residents of Baltimore City. 443-451-4059 Business Volunteers Unlimited (BVU) Maryland’s Do Something Series on Civic Engagement and Volunteerism Noon-2:30pm, Frederick Douglass Isaac Myers Maritime Museum, 1417 Thames St., Lunch provided. You must pre-register, 410-366-6030, ext. 115 or Naomi@volunteercentral.net.