Blight in the News
'Blight to Betterment,' April 5, 2022
The University of Baltimore Law Forum is pleased to announce its spring symposium, "Blight to Betterment," which will take place on Tuesday, April 5, from 6-8 p.m., followed by a reception in the Moot Court Room at The University of Baltimore School of Law, 1401 N. Charles St. in Baltimore. The event is free and open to the public. If you are interested in attending, please register
here
.
"Blight to Betterment" will focus on the various approaches non-governmental organizations are taking to address blight in Baltimore such as lending programs, affordable housing development, code enforcement, and vacant land management. The symposium's goal is to highlight non-governmental solutions supplementing governmental intervention and have a meaningful conversation with members of the community working on this important issue.
The Law Forum's spring publication will feature Michael J. DeStefano's article, "Baltimore's Targeted Blight Elimination Program and How It Can Be Improved." This symposium will feature prominent actors in the Baltimore area seeking to improve blighted communities. Law Forum is pleased to welcome:
Jay Greene is the former Chief Operating Officer of the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). Greene's career spans 40 years and includes finance, nonprofit management, affordable housing, and community development. Prior to joining DHCD, he served as Chief for the Division of Housing for Montgomery County. Greene also was the Vice President and Director, Mid-Atlantic Region, for Community Builders, Inc., one of the largest nonprofit housing developers in the country; the Director of the D.C. Department of Housing and Community Development; and the Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development of Prince George's County. Greene holds a B.A. degree in Economics and master's degrees in Urban Planning and Finance.
Jules Dunham Howie – Opening and Closing Remarks
Jules Dunham Howie has worked on organizational development for more than 20 years. Through her consultancy firm, Jul Enterprise, she has provided facilitation, training, and capacity-building supports, including fund development, strategic planning and board development to for-profits and non-profits across the United States. She is a strong community activist and serves on the board of the Historic Marble Hill Community Association and as Director of the UPC Westside CDC, the implementation arm of the Historic Upton Community's 2026 Master Plan. UPC Westside CDC support preservation, growth, and revitalization of Upton and the Pennsylvania Avenue Commercial Corridor through implementing community development projects.
Bishop Donté Hickman – Panelist
Donté L. Hickman, bishop of Southern Baptist Church in Baltimore, leads the East Baltimore Revitalization Project with the development of affordable housing, mixed use property development, and community health services under the mantra of "Restoring People and Rebuilding Properties." One of Hickman's most notable recent developments was the Mary Harvin Senior Housing and Transformation Center, a $16 million 61-unit senior housing facility with a community services center that was nearing completion before it was destroyed by fire during the city riot of April 2015, but fully rebuilt a year later. As a community leader and entrepreneur, Hickman was appointed by the Hon. Mayor Martin O'Malley to serve as a Housing Commissioner for the Housing Authority Board of Baltimore City.
Clarence J. Snuggs – Panelist
Clarence J. Snuggs, Chief Operating Officer of Baltimore Community Lending, is a seasoned community development professional who has demonstrated a solid track-record of successful leadership and related industry knowledge, from his work in the public, private and community sectors, producing outcomes which have led to significant success in building and stabilizing communities. He most recently served as the Director of Montgomery County's Department of Housing and Community Affairs, where he provided leadership to an experienced team responsible for affordable housing production and preservation financing, neighborhood revitalization, housing code and regulation enforcement, landlord and tenant affairs, along with grant management, program support and budget management.
Ernst Valery – Panelist
Ernst Valery is the founder and president of SAA | EVI affiliate Ernst Valery Investments Corp. (EVI), a private, minority-owned real estate investment firm, established in 2001. EVI invests in select underserved and undervalued key emerging domestic real estate markets, defined as urban transitional areas with high residential and retail demand. For the past 18 years, Valery has been involved with development projects ranging from mixed-use, multi-tenant rental properties, to single-family renovations and condominium conversions. Valery has successfully invested in and developed real estate in Maryland; Washington, D.C.; Pennsylvania; Virginia; California; and New York.
Steven Preston – Panelist
Steven Preston is the Park Construction and Design Manager for Parks & People Foundation, a non-profit organization with the goal of uniting Baltimore by creating access to healthy, vibrant outdoor spaces. Preston has been with Parks & People since 2014, and has previously held the roles of Parks Project Manager and Capital Improvements Project Manager, where he was responsible for overseeing the design process and implementation of green infrastructure projects and park-focused work with the goal of improving communities to create beautiful, equitable, and active park space throughout Charm City.
Ellen Janes – Panelist
Ellen Janes serves as the Executive Director of the Central Baltimore Partnership, a non-profit organization working towards the comprehensive revitalization of the neighborhoods of Central Baltimore. Prior to joining Central Baltimore Partnership, Janes was the executive director of the Neighborhood Design Center, and served as the first assistant secretary for Neighborhood Revitalization of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. She also worked as state director for former U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski.
Dedication
Law Forum dedicates the symposium to Lt. Paul Butrim, Lt. Kelsey Sadler, and Firefighter Kenny Lacayo, each of whom died in the line of duty on Jan. 24, 2022, while battling a fire in a vacant rowhouse in Baltimore City. Law Forum extends its sincerest condolences to the Baltimore City Fire Department and looks forward to discussing potential resolutions to this issue.