Green Techniques will be better for our community
BALTIMORE, MD (April 4, 2014)—Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake is proud to announce that Baltimore Housing will be launching a new deconstruction pilot program that will promote job training and building material reuse when demolishing blighted properties.
“This pilot program will not only put Baltimore at the forefront of environmentally friendly demolition practices, but also create job training opportunities for city residents that will help them attain better, higher paying jobs,” said Mayor Rawlings-Blake. “I’m proud of Baltimore Housing for creating such an innovative opportunity.”
Finding new and creative methods to address the costs associated with blight is a challenge for urban communities across the country. This City’s contract will use green techniques to take buildings apart piece by piece, making bricks, structural lumber, and architectural elements available for reuse or repurposing while creating job-training skills for Baltimore residents. After an extensive Request for Proposal (RFP) process, Baltimore Housing selected Humanim as the nonprofit awardee of the pilot program. The deconstruction pilot program will begin by targeting 50 buildings. If the strategy proves effective at meeting environmental and job creation goals while delivering cost efficient demolition services to the city, Baltimore Housing will look to expand the program.
“We believe using these green techniques will be better for our community and will help create markets through the resale of building materials,” said Housing Commissioner Paul T. Graziano. “Saving the environment, while creating jobs skills for residents, all while removing blight to make our communities safer is the perfect recipe for success in Baltimore.”
Humanim has over 41 years of success providing workforce development, mental health and developmental disabilities services to those most in need across Maryland. Today, Humanim has expanded that vision to create a sustainable economic model for the provision of workforce development services combining occupational skills training, business development and social enterprise. The new model sprung from a visionary project that board and staff undertook in one of the most impoverished areas in East Baltimore. Their services have grown to provide support for the growing and diverse needs of the people and communities they serve.