Hope Village

Hope Village will become a model for addressing homelessness in cities. The vision of Hearts Place Services, Inc, is to bring the costs of home ownership within the reach of low-income families.

With generous financial sponsorships, they are turning vacant lots in East Baltimore’s Oliver community into homeownership opportunities for 13 households. The site is located in an area, with $18,190 average annual income.

It is a privately funded community of thirteen fully-furnished, 400-square-foot, single-family homes with wraparound porches and side yards created for homeownership for working, extremely low-income people or families who have experienced homelessness. The commercial developer is covering the difference between the actual cost and the sales price ($25,000) to the future homeowners.

Hope Village will become a model for addressing homelessness in cities. The vision of Hearts Place Services, Inc, is to bring the costs of home ownership within the reach of low-income families. With generous financial sponsorships, they are turning vacant lots in East Baltimore’s Oliver community into homeownership opportunities for 13 households.

Through our Community Design Works program, the Neighborhood Design Center provided a landscape design plan that maximizes green space for each lot and turns an alley into a residential street through sidewalks, street trees and lighting, native plantings that are easy to maintain, and a community garden.

“Changes to the built environment are powerful and can impact the daily lives of hundreds of people.”

-Program Coordinator, Eleanor Luken

Through our Community Design Works program, we provided a landscape design plan that maximizes green space for each lot.

Our designs include street trees and lighting, native plantings that are easy to maintain, a community garden, and turn an alley into a residential street through sidewalks.

GUIDING DESIGN PRINCIPLES for HOPE VILLAGE

Create a neighborhood feel that allows homeowners to have pride of their private and
shared public space
Use of Maryland native plant material to encourage a healthy wildlife zone
Where possible, use plant material instead of hard materials to delineate space
Create a streetscape that is inviting to existing homeowners in the area

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We’re humbled and thrilled to see this project become a reality. The groundbreaking in September, 2021 drew a large audience.

The project received the Excellence in Design Award from the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Maryland Chapter, and an honorable mention from AIA Baltimore.

Congrats and kudos to board member and architect Randy Sovich, and our volunteer landscape architect Sophie McGuire. We enjoyed cheering them on at the AIA awards.

Coming to Life

In early 2024, construction began in the Oliver community, and we officially welcomed residents to Hope Village on November 4, 2024! It was a joyful day celebrating the great success and transformation of this once-vacant lot. Now....thirteen families were given the keys to their fully furnished homes priced at $25,000.

We were especially moved to see one new homeowner—a person close to NDC—take their next step toward homeownership here.

See the story in the news!

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