Madison Park North (MPN) (Baltimore: section 8, rental, mortgage)

[MobileVisitor09]

For those in the Reservoir Hill area or who are familiar with this property, have there been any updates to the ongoing Madison Park North saga? I haven't had the opportunity to attend any community-related meetings since earlier in the year due to academic commitments, but am quite curious what the final outcome was with the HUD inspections, the private slumlord, and HABC involvement.

Tried looking online quickly and updated HUD data/recent news stories about the status of the property are quite limited. Thanks.

[KLynch10]

As far as I've heard, they've done nothing yet. Typical City dragging their feet. Also these Public Housing tear downs get a little bit tricky, so hopefully soon. The future of Res Hill certainly has a lot to do with what happens, and it would be a perfect property for MICA!

[bmoregrimey]

i heard the property did not pass inspections, i went to a meeting earlier this yr in which housing commissioner graziano attended...he stated that should the property not pass inspections the city would look to make plans to relocate the residents. graziano stated the city would be responsible for the costs of tearing down the buildings and relocations unless the city was able to receive federal hud funding in which case the fed govt would pay the cost of tearing down the buildings and also help to pay for the relocation of its current residents...as it stands now i have not a heard a formal annoucement that the city is closing down this public housing project

[remstone]

Everybody - it's not public housing. Those words have a specific meaning. This is a privately-owned complex subsidized with Project-Based Section 8 vouchers. If HABC and HUD end the contract then their mortgage gets called and the owners probably lose the property.

There's been no news and it's not clear how the appeal process is playing out. It must be some sort of internal-to-HUD thing because it's not in any Maryland courts.

[MobileVisitor09]

Yes, it's project-based assisted housing. Private developer 'owns' the property and the federal government provides substantial rental subsidies directly to the owner who is then able to offer highly discounted rents to those who qualify. The owner may also allow Section 8 voucher holders to rent these units as well. Different from public housing, where the government owns the properties and subsidizes rent directly, and are managed by individual housing authorities. Point is, private-public partnerships, often, and, especially in the case of MPN, often end in spectacular crash and burn ways--at a cost to the residents, surrounding neighborhood, and the taxpayer.

Anyway, yes, I attended that meeting as well, had high hopes that there would be substantial change, and quick at that--I remember they were going to do a secondary, more elaborate property inspection after the first had failed abysmally, and HUD/HABC was also outwardly publicly involved, but, since then, attention has seemed to fade.

It'll make me unhappy if I learn that things will continue status quo with this property. It's really not right, and, unfair.

[MobileVisitor09]

Originally Posted by remstone

Everybody - it's not public housing. Those words have a specific meaning. This is a privately-owned complex subsidized with Project-Based Section 8 vouchers. If HABC and HUD end the contract then their mortgage gets called and the owners probably lose the property.

There's been no news and it's not clear how the appeal process is playing out. It must be some sort of internal-to-HUD thing because it's not in any Maryland courts.

Yes--I looked for additional news, nothing recent. Maybe I'll try calling HUD. Will keep you posted if I hear anything. Thanks.

[Adam Meister]

Originally Posted by remstone

Everybody - it's not public housing. Those words have a specific meaning. This is a privately-owned complex subsidized with Project-Based Section 8 vouchers. If HABC and HUD end the contract then their mortgage gets called and the owners probably lose the property.

There's been no news and it's not clear how the appeal process is playing out. It must be some sort of internal-to-HUD thing because it's not in any Maryland courts.

remstone is a neighbor of mine here in Reservoir Hill. His update sums up everything unfortunately. The place should have been gone long ago. It appears in this Reservoir Hill video of mine from 2009:

My walk around Reservoir Hill in Baltimore - YouTube

[MobileVisitor09]

Originally Posted by Adam Meister

remstone is a neighbor of mine here in Reservoir Hill. His update sums up everything unfortunately. The place should have been gone long ago. It appears in this Reservoir Hill video of mine from 2009:

My walk around Reservoir Hill in Baltimore - YouTube

Thanks, Adam. Yes, I remember watching this video a while back, forgot you had some footage of MPN included. Looked a lot better in that video than it did the last time I passed the property...

[ginbelt]

It's sad to note that almost one entire year has gone by since the last posts on this thread wondering why MPN still sits, with seemingly no action, when the community was promised that it would be shut down, one way or another. I haven't heard anything through the grapevine; I can just see that it still appears to function and people live there. Is there any news that has happened in the last year? Could it possible that this thing is STILL an ongoing court case (assuming Kaplan is suing HUD)...?

[HandsUpThumbsDown]

Originally Posted by ginbelt

It's sad to note that almost one entire year has gone by since the last posts on this thread wondering why MPN still sits, with seemingly no action, when the community was promised that it would be shut down, one way or another.

LOL

You haven't lived here very long have you? One year is a NOTHING in Baltimore.