Hotels Acquired by City Will Be Rehabilitated into Permanent Supportive Housing Units Serving Baltimore's Most Vulnerable Residents

BALTIMORE, MD (Friday, October 4, 2024) - Today, Mayor Brandon M. Scott, the Mayor's Office of Homeless Services (MOHS), and the Baltimore City Department of Real Estate announced that the Permanent Supportive Housing Hotels Conversion Request for Proposals (RFP) has been awarded to the Episcopal Housing Corporation, Health Care for the Homeless, HCH Real Estate Co., and Beacon Communities Development, LLC. Their project, to be named Sojourner Place at the Falls, will rehabilitate the existing hotel properties - the Sleep Inn & Suites at 301 Fallsway and the Holiday Inn Express at 221 N. Gay Street - and the lot between those properties into permanent supportive housing units.

"Solving homelessness is best tackled by providing safe, low barrier housing options that meet the needs of our most vulnerable residents, which is exactly why we've committed so much to building more permanent supportive housing," said Mayor Brandon M. Scott. "This project will expand our capacity to provide housing, on-site wraparound support and case management to support more Baltimoreans the services and tools they need to live independently. I am deeply appreciative of the work of everyone that will drive this project."

The awarded project team will develop 155 units of affordable housing through a combination of rehabilitation and new construction. Future plans for the project feature a 50-unit medical respite center on the property, to provide people experiencing homelessness with a safe and supportive place to recover from hospitalization.

"This acquisition required incredible effort and I am thankful to Mayor Scott and all of our partners involved in this process at all levels whose passion for serving our most vulnerable neighbors and dedication to improve the quality of life for all City residents has allowed us to implement a holistic approach and create opportunities for permanent supportive housing," said MOHS Executive Director Ernestina Simmons. "I am grateful to have partners who understand the benefits of pairing housing with life-changing supportive services as a key factor in changing the trajectory of the clients we serve. Together, we are improving our homeless response system and charting a path for repeatable success that puts us closer to making homelessness rare and brief in Baltimore City."

Interested applicants were asked to submit proposals that included plans for comprehensive on site services such as individualized service plans, case management services, medical screenings, mental health services, workforce development, and additional support for tenants. While MOHS received other well-qualified applications through its request for proposals, the selected respondent's proposal not only scored the highest, but included innovative approaches that will strengthen our service provision for the City of Baltimore.

"It's a very exciting day. EHC and HCH's unique collaboration of developing and operating permanent supportive housing has strengthened our community and is improving lives. Sojourner Place at the Falls builds on our success," said Episcopal Housing Corporation Executive Director Dan McCarthy. "The addition of Beacon Communities Development with their wealth of experience makes us stronger in our efforts to increase the supply of affordable housing to prevent and end homelessness. We're thankful to Mayor Scott and his team for their confidence in our work and in this partnership."

The City's acquisition and rehabilitation of these hotels is a critical component of MOHS's strategic efforts to provide housing stability and supportive services to individuals experiencing homelessness in Baltimore City.

"Only housing ends homelessness," said Health Care for the Homeless CEO and HCH Real Estate Co. President Kevin Lindamood. "This innovative partnership integrates affordable housing and the supportive services we all need- just a block away from our largest clinic offering comprehensive medical, behavioral health and dental care. We're thankful for the opportunity to expand the array of life-saving health care services available along the Fallsway and we're thrilled to add housing to the list."

MOHS is grateful and appreciative of the work and dedication that went into each RFP proposal, and looks forward to expanding its ability to address the needs of Baltimore's most vulnerable residents.