NHS of Baltimore’s Partnership with Park Heights Renaissance a Continual Success

By: Tanya Washington, Chief Operating Officer, NHS of Baltimore

The essence of any Neighborhood Housing Services of Baltimore program is partnership. Although working with other organizations is rarely simple and problem-free, pooling resources and services can be well worth the effort. Both small and large nonprofits have much to gain in designing program initiatives that draw on complementary strengths of collaboration.

As such, NHS of Baltimore has partnered with Park Heights Renaissance to provide Homebuyer Education, Financial Fitness and Post-Purchase counseling to residents in their targeted neighborhoods. Moreover, NHSB will host NeighborWorks Week; an event that brings residents and other stakeholders together to build a more livable and welcoming community. Our goal is to assist Park Heights Renaissance in making giant strides in strengthening home ownership levels to the point where, for the first time in two decades, the area has more potential buyers than there are houses for sale.

The priorities of engaging residents, developing an insular level of civic leadership and expanding community marketing efforts are all part of Park Height Renaissance’s objective in re-developing the area. These directives will point to the success of the area and how NHS’s model is used to highlight homeownership as the cornerstone for neighborhood revitalization and to a broader sense, show how we believe that revitalization goes beyond brick and mortar. As an organization, we measure success by change in the market, neighborhood image and quality of life for residents.