Effort Represents the Largest Coordinated Blight Removal in State History

Governor Larry Hogan was joined by Mayor Bernard C. "Jack" Young, Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Kenneth C. Holt, Baltimore City state and local partner agencies, and community members as he announced the major milestone of 4,000 units of blight marked for elimination through Project C.O.R.E. (Creating Opportunities for Renewal and Enterprise), a city-state partnership to revitalize Baltimore City. The Maryland Stadium Authority managed the demolition of the blighted units located in East Baltimore.

“Today, we celebrate an incredible milestone through our transformative Project C.O.R.E. Initiative in eliminating 4,000 blighted units from Baltimore,” said Governor Hogan. “When we launched in 2016, we committed nearly $100 million to partner with the city for this historic multi-year initiative. All of these efforts are about taking our communities back, renewing hope and opportunity, and truly changing Baltimore City and Maryland for the better.”

Demolition of the 1700 block of North Bradford Street marked the 4,000th unit of blight released for demolition, deconstruction, or stabilization since the initiative was announced in 2016. The State of Maryland has provided $75 million for blight removal activities, matched by more than $50 million from Baltimore City. This historic investment by the State has triggered nearly $420 million in financing for revitalization efforts in Baltimore City through the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development and has leveraged an additional $1.8 billion in private, public, and philanthropic dollars.

“Project C.O.R.E. has been an essential tool in our revitalization strategy,” said Mayor Bernard C. “Jack” Young. “This partnership has provided significant new resources for our community development work in Baltimore City. In addition, this effort has cleared the way for new green space, new affordable and mixed-use housing, new opportunities for small business owners, and new opportunities for our city to grow stronger.”

For more information about Project C.O.R.E., visit: http://dhcd.maryland.gov/ProjectCORE/.