EBDI makes progress, stirs controversy

The East Baltimore Development Initiative, (EBDI) has made significant progress, but it has also generated some resentment in the community it is redeveloping.

Hopkins is a major partner of EBDI. President Ronald Daniels and Sally MacConnell, Vice President for Facilities at JHMI both serve on the EBDI Board of Directors.

EBDI was created in 2002 to oversee the revitalization of 88 acres in the vicinity of the Hopkins Medical Institute, located in the neighborhood known as Middle East Baltimore.

A major aspect of the project is a new Science and Technology Park adjacent to the Hopkins medical campus. This is not yet complete.

Sheila Young, Vice President for Development and Communications at EBDI, wrote in an email to the News-Letter that the project's goal has "always been to create a thriving mixed-income community for families, businesses, and public institutions."

According to Young, the project is set to be completed in 2017.?

However, some East Baltimore residents seem to resent EBDI.

While he wouldn't say whether or not the project has ultimately helped or hurt the community, Donald Gresham, President of the Save Middle East Action Committee (SMEAC), did say that "If they'd engaged... with the community it could have been better. It could have saved both money and time."?

Gresham does not oppose redevelopment itself but he is disappointed with the manner in which EBDI implemented the program in his community.

"We fought for everything we got. If they take this model of redevelopment anywhere else we have lost," he said.?Because of the recession, Young wrote that, "the timing [of the project] has shifted a little."

She explained that, "as the economy slowed, we took on aspects of the project that are not as market-dependent . . . And while we were doing that, we also kept moving forward as much as we could on the aspects of the project that directly affect neighborhood residents."?

According to Gresham, the project is more than a year behind schedule People in the House for a House program should have been moving into their homes in September of 2008.

"We're still doing the paperwork," he complained.??

"I know that there were issues with the contractor we were planning to use and in some cases delays on the residents' side because of deed and financial issues. Only three residents have signed up for the House for a House program," Young said.

Gresham said one of SMEAC's achievements was getting EBDI to agree to create the House for a House program, allowing residents who lost their homes to move into new houses in the local community.

While EBDI always promised that people being relocated by the project would get a new home, there was initially no plan in place to allow them to return to their former communities.

"Had they initially had this idea in place, there would have been more people interested. But people had to move... They didn't know the cost, or how long it would take," Gresham said.

"With a project this large there are bound to be criticisms, but I know that we work really hard to help everyone affected," Young said.

Some of EBDI's achievements include the opening on Aug. 31 of the new East Baltimore Community School, run by EBDI under contract with the Baltimore City Public School System, the creation of 1600 jobs, 16 percent of which are filled by local residents, the relocation of 600 families and the creation of 215 new households.?

EBDI has also won a U.S. Commerce National Excellence in Economic Development Award.

When EBDI was made a finalist, U.S. Rep. Elijah Cummings said, "EBDI is looking beyond buildings to utilize this development project to empower people and rebuild communities... this project... promises to benefit the entire City of Baltimore, [and] can truly be a model for our entire nation."

Young wrote that SMEAC, "has helped make this project better in many ways." She wrote that, "our 'green' demolition practices were influenced by SMEAC members, as was the new 'Home Rehab' program."?

The 'green' practices mentioned above were a result of SMEAC campaigning for greater safety precautions to prevent the release of asbestos and other types of dangerous contaminants into the air during the house demolition process. ?

The Home Rehab, "is available to everyone living on Preservation Blocks, [blocks which can't be demolished because of their historical value]. So far 44 people have signed up."???

Young also wrote that, "an independent study... showed that 90 percent of families who were relocated were happy with the experience and like their new houses very much."?

"Of course someone moving out of a community with rodents and lots of boarded up houses is going to like it," Gresham said.

"The question is where they're going to end up. They don't know where they'll end up."

He also said that, "I don't think [the satisfaction rate] is 90 percent."?

Gresham also complained that under former EBDI President Jack Shannon, who left the organization in the spring, "when issues came up we felt that they were making decisions themselves... and we weren't informed until the decisions had already been made."?

He is happier with Chris Shea, the interim President. "We've still got some work to do with Chris Shea... [But] we can communicate with him. He seems to want to do the right thing for the community."?

Gresham feels however, that EBDI should be including the community in the search for a permanent president.

"We'd love it to happen, but I don't think it will," he said.