The National Philanthropic Collaborative's Living Cities Integration Initiative's is giving Baltimore $19 million to help connect low-income residents with jobs and affordable housing.
The money, through various grants and loans, is planned to help create job opportunities and improve neighborhoods in Central and East Baltimore.
Funding is expected to connect at least 1,200 city residents to job resources, build 400 units of mixed-income housing and develop 346,000 square feet of commercial space.
Baltimore has previously received $23 million through the program since 1991.
Other cities receiving the total $80 million in investment are Cleveland, Detroit, Newark, N.J.; and Minneapolis/St. Paul.
$19 million certainly sounds like a ton of money - and it is - but it's important that it be used wisely. Obviously our city has desperate needs in the areas these grants are designed to address, so if implemented properly, these funds might be able to truly improve some people's lives.
Let's hope that's exactly what happens.
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