The Poe Homes Transformation Plan was a two-year community-driven process establishing a roadmap to meet the needs for the Poppleton-Hollins Market neighborhoods. The neighborhoods are located a ½ mile west of Downtown Baltimore and adjacent to the University of Maryland Baltimore campus. The plan is the recipient of $1.3 million HUD Choice Neighborhood Initiative planning and action grant. At the heart of the transformation is the redevelopment of Poe Homes, the City’s oldest public housing community.
Hord Coplan Macht served as the lead housing design and planning consultant. HCM facilitated engaging community outreach, including an interactive housing board game, to enable residents and stakeholders to participate in the design process. The housing plan preserves affordable housing by replacing all 288 existing public housing units, increases housing choice by introducing a variety of housing types to support a range of income levels. The plan crafts a new walkable community for 600 mixed-income apartments with residential amenities and opportunities for supportive commercial uses. The plan integrates the new housing community with the surrounding neighborhood and enhances connectivity between a new K-8 Catholic School and public park with pool and recreation center.