South Baltimore has a message for Federal Hill: Jenna Bush Hager is ours. The first daughter?s coming move to Baltimore has set off a turf war between the two communities, with each claiming her as a resident. Recent media reports have identified Federal Hill as the neighborhood of the newly married Bush?s $440,000 row house on South Charles Street.
Not so, say South Baltimore residents.
“The boundaries are very clear,” said Al Evans, former president of the South Baltimore Improvement Committee. “She is well within the South Baltimore Improvement Committee district. But because of who she is, they?re saying it?s Federal Hill.”
The committee voted not to make a big production over Bush?s arrival, said Donnie Fair, the community association president. Fair says he?s heard grumbling already about Secret Service vehicles hoarding coveted parking spaces.
“If anyone is at all familiar with South Baltimore, there?s no parking to begin with,” Fair said. “Otherwise, we’re happy to have her.”
Technically, Fair said, Bush and her new husband, Henry Hager, are residents of South Baltimore.
But to real estate agents, it?s Federal Hill.
“I think it?s very, very, very positive for Federal Hill,” gushed Kerri Tkach, a Realtor with Re/Max Sails. “It?s still a really strong neighborhood in terms of buying and selling, and I think her moving here is going to just publicize it more.”
Once they?ve established Bush ? a teacher who is a rumored applicant at Baltimore?s new public boarding school ? as one of their own, South Baltimore residents said they plan to treat her like any other neighbor.
A half-block away, Ronald Detress said he?s looking forward to the extra security.
But another neighbor, Jeff Kaplan, said it could become a hassle if agents get overzealous.
He stops at his father?s place next door to do laundry, and parks opposite her garage.
“Sometimes I do it at one, two in the morning,” Kaplan said. “I wear sweats and a hoodie. I look suspicious.”
