Our Homeownership Zone Strategy

Over four years ago, SWP went block by block in areas of high vacancy throughout the seven neighborhoods with neighborhood leaders to figure out which blocks were close to areas of “strength” that would lend themselves to rebuilding the private real estate market. From this engagement, SWP developed three homeownership zones in Pigtown (adjacent to Carroll Park), Mount Clare (adjacent to Union Square and Wilkens Ave), and Franklin Square (adjacent to Franklin Square Park and Route 40). 

Since then, SWP has worked with City Housing Department to acquire properties through receivership, tax sale, and direct acquisition, and obtain subsidies from State DHCD and the City of Baltimore to make affordable homeownership rehabilitation possible.

When clusters of properties become available for rehab, SWP will post the Request for Proposals (RFPs) on our Work With Us page.

How Can I Partner?

• For SWP-Owned Properties: Whenever SWP acquires a cluster of properties in the homeownership zones identified above, we will list the Request for Proposals here on our Homes for Sale page.
• To Place Properties into Receivership: The City of Baltimore has a limited capacity to take property owners to court through receivership. As a result, if there are vacant properties that you would like to put into Receivership that City relies on SWP to ensure 1) that properties requested to be put into receivership are part of a strategic, community development effort, and 2) that there are qualified developers ready to bid at auction for those properties. Please reach out to us at Development@swpbal.org to begin the conversation.
• If you need gap subsidy for housing rehab, SWP has limited funds each year to provide gap subsidy to help stabilize residential properties. We target these funds to projects that are for homeownership for families making below 80% of Area Median Income as defined by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD).