Citing several Section 8 contracts that have been terminated in the past three years, fair-housing advocates said the county?s policy to buy and tear down blighted apartments is making it harder for low-income residents to find safe and affordable homes.
Most recently, the county bought and plans to raze Dundalk?s York Park apartments, leaving only one remaining Section 8 complex in the county.
“I don?t deny that in some cases the only remedy is to tear them down, but more and more people are being squeezed,” said Richard Doran, executive director of the county?s Community Action Network. “I don?t have a good option to offer anyone who calls.”
Though residents of apartments bought by the county are given vouchers to subsidize rent in apartments of their choice, the voucher waitlist for other residents can reach five years. County officials said the voucher policy helps disperse low-income residents into stable communities, providing access to better schools and jobs.
“I think most people acknowledge the fact that it?s better to have a more mixed income approach to housing,” said Mary Harvey, director of the county?s Office of Community Conservation.
Harvey said the county has spent about $18 million in the past three years, creating housing for low-and-moderate income levels, and provides programs for first-time home buyers and senior housing. She said, so far, affordable housing still exists in Baltimore County, that finding replacement housing for displaced Section 8 recipients hasn?t been difficult.
The county also funds intermediate housing programs, like INNterim Housing Corp., a limited transitional housing program for low-income mothers. But while redeveloping blighted apartments into parks and upscale housing helps to ?clean up the community,? INNterim board member Lauren Siegel said she worries low-income residents will eventually have no place to go.
“Ultimately, some neighborhoods, or many I would argue, are going to be adversely affected,” she said.
And many landlords are less likely to accept housing vouchers, afraid of the stigma attached to groups who are displaced from razed apartments. Doran said the same group of people are to blame for disturbances at many of the redeveloped complexes.
But to many Dundalk residents who have long endured the police sirens and drug use on Yorkway, it?s not their problem.
“It?s been a nasty place for 30 years,” said Charles Beazley. “All of this is necessary for the ultimate revitalization of Dundalk.”
