Community Law Center
E-NEWS
Winter 2002
Questioning Demolition Practices in the
City
Over the summer, Reservoir Hill residents were glad to
hear that three vacant, decrepit apartment buildings on Brooks Lane were slated
for demolition. However, the speed and urgency surrounding the project caused
major concerns about rats, lead paint and asbestos being dispersed into the
neighborhood as a result of the demolition by Penrose Properties, Inc.
Concerned residents called on their Community Law Center legal team: Attorney
Irene Smith and Paralegal Cassandra Forsberg. August 2002 became a whirlwind of
briefs and motions to halt the Brooks Lane demolition and ensure that Penrose
obeyed the City ordinances for safe rat, lead paint and asbestos removal.
While Smith and Forsberg achieved a victory in the
courtroom, the demolition resulted in more environmental damage to the
neighborhood than they had hoped. During the course of this case, Smith and
Forsberg became aware of some of the loopholes in the demolition process that
could lead to problems for other neighborhoods throughout the City. Smith sent
a letter to Mayor O’Malley outlining her concerns. The Daily Record published
an article on November 9, 2002, which featured the Brooks Lane case. In this
article, Smith and Forsberg voiced their concerns about the City’s demolition
procedures. Forsberg’s quote in the article summarizes the heart of the
problem: “There’s definitely a breakdown in communication within the demolition
process. The residents wanted Penrose to succeed in their project, but they
also wanted to make it clear that developers can’t come in and ignore the law.”
Now, as part of an ongoing effort, the Law Center is seeking partnerships with
other agencies to investigate the potentially life-threatening by-products of
demolition, particularly with respect to lead paint and asbestos.
Echo House Expansion
Senior Staff Attorney Kristine Dunkerton has assisted the Echo House
Multi-Service Center, Inc. in acquiring 17 vacant lots in West Baltimore.
These lots will be used for the construction of a new Center for drug treatment,
a youth and senior recreation center, food program, emergency services program,
and many other necessary services for the community. Echo House has been
providing these services since 1964 in a three-story rowhouse on W. Fayette
Street. Due to a lack of space, many of the services had to be held in separate
locations and despite increased demand, they have been unable to expand. This
new space gives them the opportunity to construct a state-of-the-art facility
that will complement and enhance their program and the neighborhood.
Stay Tuned
in 2003:
The next issue of Enews (January/February 2003) will
feature information on our newest Law Center program, the Real Estate Services
Project.
Happy
Holidays!
Greetings of the season and best wishes for
the New Year!
From the Staff of the
Community Law Center
Lawyers for Baltimore
Neighborhoods
Unable to open links e-mail to
mail@communitylaw.org
To add your neighborhood to our links
page
click here
The Community Law Center Website is under
construction please watch for updates
Last Updated:
September 25, 2006 ©
2006 Community Law Center, Inc. Baltimore, Maryland
|
The Community Law Center, Inc.
