The South Baltimore Gateway Partnership (SBGP) is awarding up to $300,000 for three years of operating support to the Cherry Hill Development Corporation (CHDC) to spur significant community-centered investments within Cherry Hill. The award is the first of its kind in South Baltimore, reflecting SBGP’s commitment to drive transformational changes that reflect community priorities focused on development and revitalization.
CHDC will use the operating support funds to convert vacant properties on Roundview Road and Bookert Drive into affordable homes. The rehabbed properties will become part of the South Baltimore Community Land Trust to ensure their long-term affordability. CHDC will also use the funds to develop a comprehensive redevelopment plan for the Cherry Hill community.
“Cherry Hill has one of the largest concentrations of public housing units serving low-income renters on the East Coast,” said CHDC Executive Director Michael Middleton. “Years of disinvestment in our community has had pernicious, long-lasting effects on the economic and social wellbeing of our residents. With SBGP’s support, we can continue our progress toward making home ownership a reality, attracting new investments to our community, and stabilizing our neighborhoods.”
“One of our highest strategic priorities is to enable meaningful, measurable change in community development and revitalization among the neighborhoods we serve,” said SBGP Executive Director Brad Rogers. “We are excited to support Cherry Hill’s own vision for a brighter future for its residents. We look forward to making comparable awards to other long underserved communities in our district in the coming months.”
SBGP’s Board has approved up to $900,000 in total operating support funds for three community organizations over the next three years. Recipients must be nonprofit organizations within the SBGP district with a demonstrated commitment to reverse disinvestment through development. More information about the operating support fund is here.
The announced operating support funding follows the recent award of $483,863 in competitive grants for 25 projects across the district. This was the fourth round of grant funding by SBGP since 2017. Learn more here.
About SBGP
SBGP was established in 2016 to help implement the South Baltimore Gateway Master Plan, a sweeping plan to improve neighborhoods near the Horseshoe Casino Baltimore, with funding provided by Local Impact Grants generated by video lottery terminals. Under its Strategic Plan, SBGP works to improve the vitality of its communities by focusing on three crucial elements of the South Baltimore Gateway Master Plan: Community Development and Revitalization, Environmental Sustainability, and Health and Wellness. SBGP is not an agency of the City of Baltimore or the State of Maryland. It is governed by a Board of Directors comprised of residents of the district and representatives of businesses located in the district. Learn more about SBGP and the communities served here.