Inclusionary Housing/Zoning
IHI is an expert in inclusionary consulting services to organizations and communities around the country on a variety of topics, to include public procurement by cities and towns, as well as private work on specific studies. Currently, IHI’s focus is regional, in partnership the Grounded Solutions Network, and serves as a regional consultant for inclusionary housing/zoning studies for municipalities in the eastern region of the United States. IHI has Board members, staff and consultants that are experts in the field, and assist with a broad range of topics pertinent to affordable housing and community development. Qualifications and past engagements and studies can be found in the IMPACT section of the website.
IHI attended and was Housing Champion at the Intersections Conference, hosted by Grounded Solutions, in Oakland, CA in the fall of 2017. Grounded Solutions Network and IHI share the mission to cultivate communities that are equitable, inclusive and rich in opportunity, by advancing affordable housing solutions that last for generations. Inclusionary zoning policy and the community land trust model are both excellent mechanisms to maintain and expand the supply of affordable housing.
Real Estate Development and Community Land Trusts
In 2010, Governor Martin O’Malley, signed the Affordable Housing Land Trust Act (AHLT Act) into law, in Maryland Annotated Code, Real Property § 14-501. An affordable housing land trust is an entity that provides affordable housing to low-income and moderate-income families through an affordable housing land trust agreement; and is organized or managed by a nonprofit organization that buys land on behalf of a community and holds it in trust.
Currently there are approximately 160 community land trusts operating in every region of the country. These community land trusts are nonprofit, community-based organizations whose mission is to provide affordable housing in perpetuity by owning land and leasing it to those who live in houses built on that land. In the classic community land trust model, membership is comprised of those who live in the leased housing (leaseholders); those who live in the targeted area (community members); and local representatives from government, funding agencies and the nonprofit sector (public interest).
In Maryland, there is a growing number of non-profits that are using the land trust model to expand and preserve the supply of permanent affordable housing. With over 20+ years staff experience in real estate development, appraisal valuation, and transactional services, IHI partners with local developers and builders in the Baltimore area to provide technical assistance in these areas.
Casework Management Services
The Innovative Housing Institute (hereinafter called “IHI”) provides contract Casework Services Program for tenants located in subsidized or LITHC units. IHI provides this service to support building owners and their tenants, and assist property management companies who are not trained, nor conversant in the law contained within the Fair Housing Act of 1968, or client’s who are desirous of outsourcing this function. IHI has 20+ years’ experience in casework services for both families and individuals with disabilities. IHI currently manages the Bailey Consent Decree for the Baltimore City Housing Authority.
IHI has an expertise in reasonable accommodation requests and has completed 85 for our current tenants, and assisted over 13,000 tenants with ongoing case management services.
Our casework management services include:
- Regular and periodic phone communication;
- Home visits;
- Advocacy;
- Conflict management;
- Coordination of tenant related responsibilities with property manager;
- Community referrals for support and follow up;
- Develop structure and time management
- Behavior modification
- Emergency/crisis services
- Budgeting/money management
- Meal planning;
- Family communication
- Assistance with community services information
- Development of short term and long-term goals.
Tenant Placement
IHI assists private building owners with quality tenant placement for renters with housing vouchers, and those falling in the lower income brackets. IHI has completed within Baltimore City and the surrounding counties. Through the management of the Bailey Consent Decree, IHI has a decade of experience in successful placements, and the finalization of steps taken to sign a lease or rental agreement on a property for rent.
- Since April 2006, IHI has assisted with 1,279 tenant-based NED (non elderly disabled) lease-ups in 45 ZIP Codes and 686 total project-based NED lease-ups. Of those, 474 have been initial lease-ups. Total project based tenants successfully living in 446 units.
- IHI has held orientation of housing for over 3,100 potential tenants, completed 745 group tours (with over 6,200 potential tenants attending these tours)