FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Governor Hogan Joins HABC in Final Demolition of Phase One of Historic Perkins Homes
(BALTIMORE | August 30, 2021) – Governor Larry Hogan, Mayor Brandon Scott, Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC) president and CEO Janet Abrahams, and City Councilmember Robert Stokes took turns at the controls of an excavator today to help bring down the final bricks on the last of six buildings of phase I of the 1940’s-era Perkins Homes.
The demolition clears the way for construction to begin later this fall on what will become the first section of the new Perkins Homes. It’s part of HABC’s $1 billion Perkins Somerset Oldtown (PSO) redevelopment plan, reshaping these neighborhoods into a sprawling community with excellent amenities and families of all income levels.
The state has been a major contributor to the 2,000-acre PSO transformation. This year’s state budget allocated $10 million more than originally projected to keep the project on pace. Governor Hogan said PSO has been a priority for him.
“The state of Maryland has committed $230 million for this redevelopment effort,” Hogan said.” “These investments are about taking our communities back and renewing hope and providing opportunities, and that is exactly what we are doing here today.”
“We appreciate the governor’s support and acknowledgement of how impactful the PSO plan is to HABC residents and the city of Baltimore as a whole,” said HABC President and CEO Janet Abrahams. “I also want to thank our HABC families for their continued belief in this project. They had to go through a lot. We had to relocate 586 households from this property to get where we are today. In the next 3-5 years this area will transform from being a hole in the donut of thriving neighborhoods to a vibrant community of choice.”
Perkins Homes Tenant Leadership Council President Denise Street was grateful to see the final Perkins building come down.
“On behalf of the residents of Perkins Homes, I want to thank everybody who participated in this project that we’ve been praying for or a long time,” she said. “Now, I just can’t wait to come back home.”
Baltimore’s Department of Housing and Community Development is HABC’s partner in the initiative.
City Council President Nick Mosby said, “the more and more we do projects like this, the more and more we’ll be able to sustainably see the reduction of crime in the city of Baltimore, sustainably see a new generation of young folks who care about their communities, care about their city, care about their state, and the better we will all become.”
About HABC
HABC is the fifth largest public housing authority in the U.S., providing quality affordable housing for more than 23,000 households. The agency creates diverse and vibrant communities, provides opportunities for self-sufficiency, and builds pathways for strong partnerships. #bmoreHABC
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