1999 Best Practices
Success Stories

Program Name:	Forty at Four
Program Focus:	Affordable Housing
Geographic Area:	Mid-Atlantic

State:	Maryland
City:	Baltimore

Executive Summary
Based in Baltimore, Maryland, the Forty at Four Initiative is a program that develops strategies for revitalizing high-poverty neighborhoods throughout the state by using HUD’s CDBG and HOME funds. The program enables residents to obtain affordable housing. It works to stabilize at-risk neighborhoods by helping residents retain and improve their homes and by offering mortgage interest rates that attract new homebuyers to these areas. At present, 287 loans totaling $24.8 million have been disbursed.

Fran Makle and her team have formed partnerships with 15 local governments, HUD/FHA, community action agencies, local nonprofit organizations, neighborhood associations, and local Realtors and lenders to achieve their goals. The most unique aspect of the Forty at Four program is the requirement that communities interested in obtaining assistance need to have two to three partners. Approximately 30 partners have been involved in the program to date.

Major communities have been revitalized with financial assistance from this program. For example, the District Heights area in Prince George’s County, Maryland, is now able to advertise refurbished vacant units to prospective homebuyers. In areas like District Heights, however, one of the chief obstacles of the program has been rehabilitating the existing property to make it habitable for existing owners or desirable for future buyers. Educating potential partners about the program and its value was also a challenge, but Forty at Four staff dealt with this issue by conducting extensive educational training sessions.

To date, 15 neighborhoods have received funding from the initiative. Furthermore, the program has received substantial positive publicity from the media, especially through a press conference held by the governor of Maryland. In addition, the program earned the NCHA award for their creative collaboration and financing efforts.

Partners: Local Maryland governments, HUD/FHA, community action agencies, local nonprofit organizations, neighborhood associations, and local Realtors and lenders.

Financing: CDBG and HOME funds.

Point of Contact: Fran Makle, Phone: (410) 514-7530, E-mail: makle@dhcd.state.md.us