The impactful work of the Live Near Your Work (LNYW) Program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) continues, and UMB’s investment in West Baltimore continues to expand. With this letter, we are inviting your neighborhood association to submit an application to become an eligible neighborhood in our program.
To date, the ten (10) program-eligible neighborhoods saw 69 UMB employees secure homes with down payment assistance from the University through June 30, 2023. We continue to anticipate a consistent rate of participation in the upcoming fiscal year.
Your neighborhood is being contacted as a result of:
- expressed interest from your neighborhood leadership in becoming a part of our eligible communities; or
- neighborhood proximity to the UMB campus; or
- your neighborhood has elements or entities that currently partner with existing UMB programs.
If your neighborhood or community association is interested in applying for participation in the UMB LNYW Program, then we ask that you submit an online application through this website: https://www.umaryland.edu/lnyw/neighborhood-application/ and/or email or mail your complete application to the LNYW Coordinator at the address identified in the application instructions. On the website, you will be asked to complete contact information for your association and to provide documents, video, or other media in support of your application for neighborhood eligibility. If you choose to submit your application via email or mail, we ask that you submit the same information, including contact information and all documents or attachments. Only complete applications will be reviewed, and only neighborhoods that meet all five (5) eligibility criteria will be considered. These criteria are listed below:
| Eligibility Criteria | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Proximity to the UMB Campus | Application only open to neighborhoods in acceptable proximity to campus. |
| In Keeping with the LNYM mission, the neighborhood must be in need of stabilization and revitalization | Evidence that the neighborhood has the need for stabilization and renovation. For example: high rates of vacant properties. |
| Neighborhood-specific infrastructure (e.g., community/neighborhood association, nonprofit entity with focus on specific neighborhood) is in place to focus efforts on housing programs and development | Evidence that a mature, cohesive neighborhood association exists. Neighborhood development opportunities underway to include: private/public partnership and/or private-only efforts, with a focus on housing availability, commercial development, education programs, etc. Schools are located in or close to the area. Evidence that others have already begun an investment in the area. |
| Available housing inventory | Must demonstrate housing availability. Housing must be available within 12 months of acceptance into UMB LNYW Program. |
| Neighborhood walkability | A walkability score no lower than 70. |
The application process will open on August 15, 2023, and close on September 30, 2023.
We strongly encourage your neighborhood association or team to consider applying for eligibility in this program.
Instructions for preparing an application submittal
- Step 1: Please complete the application form found at https://www.umaryland.edu/lnyw/neighborhood-application/ or email or mail to the UMB LNYW Program Coordinator at the address listed below.
- Step 2: Prepare a summarizing essay, no longer than one typed page, 12-point font, depicting why you believe your neighborhood would be a good fit with the UMB LNYW Program.
- Step 3: Proximity to the UMB campus: UMB is opening the application process only to neighborhoods within acceptable proximity to campus.
- Step 4: In keeping with the LNYW mission, the neighborhood must be in need of stabilization and revitalization — it is critical to a successful application to help the UMB LNYW Committee understand how you are determining there is need for both stabilization and revitalization. Please provide evidence of the need for both. Explain the nature of the residential transformation underway or needed.
- Step 5: Neighborhood-specific infrastructure: Provide information about the neighborhood association that demonstrates its maturity and contributions to the neighborhood. Include information about the association’s organizational structure and current officers with contact information and about the ability of the team to work together cohesively. Explain what supporting retail and streetscape/landscaping amenities and schools exist in the neighborhood to support the desire for home ownership in the neighborhood. If you have a neighborhood watch association, please share information about the program.
- Step 6: Available housing inventory: Please provide evidence of available inventory. If developers are developing the area, please identify the developer along with contact information and collect facts from them about the number of homes to be constructed and when inventory will be available. To show historical activity, please provide the number of homes sold each year in the five (5) proceeding years prior to this application. Average home sales price for each year should be included also.
- Step 7: Neighborhood walkability: Please provide your neighborhood walkability score.
DISCLAIMER: Decisions about neighborhood inclusion in the UMB LNYW Program will be conducted by the UMB LNYW Committee; all decisions are final. Receipt of a solicitation letter to apply to the UMB LNYW Program does not guarantee the neighborhood’s acceptance into the program.
Please submit your completed application package by September 30, 2023. Email or hard-copy applications should be sent to:
LNYW Program Coordinator
University of Maryland, Baltimore
620 W. Lexington St., 3rd Floor
Baltimore, MD 21201
lnyw@umaryland.edu