City of Baltimore Cuts Ribbon on Newly-Acquired Hotels Slated to Help Efforts to Address Homelessness

Mayor Scott Joined by U.S. HUD Acting Secretary, MD DHCD Secretary, City Officials for Ceremony Marking the Historic Purchase

BALTIMORE, MD (Monday, July 1, 2024) - Today, Mayor Brandon M. Scott, alongside federal, state, and city leaders and advocates, cut the ribbon on the City's two newly acquired properties: Holiday Inn Express and the Sleep Inn & Suites.

U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman, Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development Secretary Jake Day, representatives from Sen. Van Hollen's Office, City Administrator Faith Leach, Councilman Robert Stokes (District 12), Councilman James Torrence (District 7), Councilwoman Odette Ramos (District 14), Comptroller Bill Henry, representatives from the Mayor's Office of Homeless Services (MOHS), the Mayor's Office of Recovery Programs (MORP), the Baltimore City Department of Real Estate, the Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC), the Baltimore City Continuum of Care (CoC), people with lived experience of homelessness, and other partners and providers were all present for the ceremony.

"Tackling the issue of homelessness and housing insecurity in Baltimore is going to require approaches that reflect the needs and experiences of our most vulnerable residents," said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. "This purchase is a major step forward in increasing our ability to address homelessness, expand our efforts to provide a pathway to housing security, and utilize ARPA funding to make a major impact on our most complex challenges. I cannot thank everyone who has been part of this process enough for their hard work, dedication, and deep love for all Baltimoreans. Together, from the Biden-Harris Administration and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to our state partners and down to our local leaders and advocates, we will continue fighting to make a difference in the lives of residents who need it most."

"To keep families housed and address homelessness with the urgency it requires, we need innovative solutions," said HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman. "That's why the Biden-Harris Administration is committed to providing local leaders with the resources they need that fit their community. Today, I am pleased to see that the City of Baltimore is using funding from President Biden's American Rescue Plan to carry out this work."

After extensive negotiations, the City reached an agreement to purchase the Sleep Inn & Suites at 332 N. Front Street, the Holiday Inn Express at 221 N. Gay Street, and the parking lot between the two hotels at 320 N. Front Street along the Fallsway/Downtown Baltimore corridor earlier this year. The City paid $15.2 million for the acquisition and $3.2 million for the management agreement for both properties for a total of $18.4 million, utilizing funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Both agreements were approved by the Board of Estimates in February, and the City closed on the properties in Spring 2024.

"Today's ribbon cutting represents the next step in providing shelter for our most vulnerable residents," said Councilman Robert Stokes (District 8). "By opening these hotels so close to some of the services they need most, the City is ensuring they are able to receive the wrap around care they deserve."

"While the City remains in need of night-by-night shelter space to serve the large number of individuals experiencing homelessness, this transaction presents a pathway to improving our system and creating opportunities for permanent supportive housing," said Mayor's Office of Homeless Services Director Ernestina Simmons. "We are implementing a strategic holistic approach to provide people experiencing homelessness with an array of critical supportive services on-site in these spaces that we believe will help break the cycle of homelessness in our city. This acquisition was a citywide collaborative effort, and I am thankful to Mayor Scott and all of our partners involved for understanding the importance of permanent supportive housing, as services like these are key factors in enhancing the lives of the clients we aim to serve."

During the Code Blue season, the Sleep Inn & Suites operated as an additional emergency shelter space. At the conclusion of the season on March 31, 2024, the space was then utilized to house families, couples, former encampment residents, and, most recently, individuals and families who have become displaced due to housefires. The Holiday Inn Express has been primarily utilized to house and provide male clients with individualized case management, mental health services, housing navigation, vital records resources, employment assistance, and additional on-site services through TIME Organization. Added programming through weekly engagement activities and "Town Hall" style meetings are also available for residents to ask questions, voice concerns, and provide feedback.

"Today is a pivotal moment in our ongoing efforts to address homelessness with compassion, dignity, and effectiveness, marking a significant investment in permanent, long-term housing solutions for Baltimore's unhoused population," said Chief Recovery Officer Shamiah Kerney. "This housing initiative is not just about providing a roof over someone's head. Together, we are dedicated to creating a comprehensive support system that includes wrap-around services designed to meet the diverse needs of individuals and families experiencing homelessness."

The hotel acquisition is a critical component of MOHS's strategic efforts to provide housing stability, emergency shelter, and supportive services to individuals experiencing homelessness in Baltimore City, as the City continues striving to make homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring. To learn more about the Mayor's Office of Homeless Services, visit homeless.baltimorecity.gov.

About the Mayor's Office of Recovery Programs
The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) provided $641 million to the City of Baltimore in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency and its negative economic impacts. Mayor Brandon M. Scott has established the Mayor's Office of Recovery Programs to transparently and effectively administer this funding on behalf of the City. For additional information, visit the Mayor's Office of Recovery Programs website at arp.baltimorecity.gov.

###