Posted on 10/27/16
Baltimore, MD - Oct. 27, 2016 - It might have been raining cats and dogs last Thursday, September 29, but nothing was going to stop CHAI: Comprehensive Housing Assistance, Inc. from celebrating the grand opening of their very first affordable housing project for families, CHAI-Fallstaff Apartments.
CHAI-Fallstaff Apartments, a 16-unit apartment building for limited-income and market rate families is located across the street from Fallstaff Elementary/Middle School and adjoining Northwestern High School. CHAI’s renovations included new kitchens, bathroom components, flooring, painting, lighting, HVAC systems, new roof, new windows, new parking areas, and new landscaping. The project consists of one, two and three bedroom units. The building is now certified by Enterprise Green Communities and Baltimore City.
“You should have seen what the buildings looked like before”, exclaimed Rose who has lived in the apartments for the past 13 years. “My apartment is so beautiful now”!
This project is significant to the CHAI mission, to engage in neighborhoods with a significant Jewish presence by developing and enhancing housing, affecting community development and supporting aging-in-community. CHAI is an agency of The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore.
“It was a natural fit for CHAI to buy and renovate the Fallstaff Apartments”, says Mitch Posner, CHAI Executive Director. “Limited income families are now able to enjoy new, beautifully modernized, high quality affordable housing in the Fallstaff community (one of our primary focus areas). The CHAI-Fallstaff Apartments project is CHAI’s first opportunity to invest its resources and development expertise to create affordable housing for families in our northwest Baltimore community.”
CHAI Board President, Jeffrey S. Rosen served as emcee of the event and welcomed everyone under the tent as Rabbi Yitzi Weiner of Etz Chaim Center gave the opening Invocation. Councilwoman Rochelle “Rikki” Spector, 5th District brought congratulations, along with Baltimore Housing Commissioner, Paul T. Graziano. Board Chair, Linda A. Hurwitz brought greetings from The Associated: Jewish Community Federation of Baltimore. Other project funders bringing congratulations were Dana Johnson, Managing Director of the Reinvestment Fund, Brien O’Toole, Deputy Director, Rental Lending, Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, and representatives from Lorax Partnerships. Mitch Posner, closed out the event by describing other complimentary CHAI work in Fallstaff and praising his staff and board for a job well done. Funding came from Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, Baltimore City, the Reinvestment Fund and the France-Merrick Foundation.
