Community Housing Associates (CHA: www.chaincmd.org ) is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to developing and managing affordable housing for low-income individuals and families in Baltimore City who are affected by psychiatric disabilities. By linking residents of our housing with a broad network of mental health services, we enable individuals to live safely within the community, with the greatest independence each can achieve.

History and Track Record

CHA was established as an independent, housing development organization in 1989 through an initiative of the Baltimore Mental Health Systems (BMHS), a public, coordinating agency for mental health services in the City of Baltimore. CHA was launched with a major, five-year grant from the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation.

In the seventeen years since it began, CHA has developed, managed or leased housing for more than 630 individuals with mental illness, using a wide range of public and private financing sources. CHA itself has developed 87 units of rental housing and currently houses an additional 120 individuals, leasing units from private landlords. We serve individuals with very low incomes of 0-30% of area median income. Our creative use of resources has ensured that no individual pays more than 30% of their income for housing.

Our Approach: Affordable Housing with Appropriate Support

The mission of Community Housing Associates is the development and maintenance of stable housing throughout Baltimore City for persons with mental illness. By creating a range of units, we maximize the choices available for people seeking independent living.

1. Our Housing

CHA’s housing units are geographically widely dispersed. Most are single-family row homes or small, detached homes. They are located near public transportation, shopping areas and places of worship.

• CHA developed its own 58 units over time, through the creation of two limited partnerships (Limited Partnership I and II) and a nonprofit Charm City Housing. Some of the LPT I and II units and all of Charm City Housing are subsidized through the Shelter Plus Care program (a HUD subsidy through Baltimore Homeless Services). Eleven of the units are (or are in the process of becoming) subsidized through Project Based Section 8 Certificates.
  
  
• CHA has developed 3 HUD 811 projects consisting of 29 units in 7 addresses throughout Baltimore (Belair Manor, Glenmore Housing and Housing Associates, Inc). Two of the addresses serve as group homes, and are operated by area service providers selected through a competitive RFP with Baltimore Mental Health Systems. The other 5 addresses (15 units) serve as apartments for adults with mental illness and are single occupancy.
  
  
• CHA rents approximately 120 units from private landlords, which we then sublet to individuals and families. We rent these units utilizing Shelter Plus Care certificates, a federal subsidy for people with mental illness who are homeless. We were awarded 137 certificates by the City of Baltimore through a competitive process. With the Shelter Plus Care program, CHA serves as the intermediary on leasing, providing an additional comfort level landlords often need to make their rental units available to people with mental illness, especially those who recently have been homeless.
  
  
• CHA has also been involved with, or spearheaded the development of projects other then traditional residential.
  
  
  • Safe Haven II (aka the Ethal Elan Safe Haven) provides housing to homeless adults with mental illness in a low-pressure atmosphere, in the hopes that through housing, they might become engaged in services.
    
    
  • Harford Center – CHA, in partnership with On Our Own of Maryland, developed a drop in center (Hardford Center) for adults with a psychiatric diagnosis.
    
    
  • HOPE Drop In Center – CHA provides HOPE (Helping Other People through Empowerment) with assistance regarding program space for their drop in center for homeless adults with mental illness. CHA is currently working with HOPE to identify and acquire adequate space for their program.

2. Our Clients

Individuals come to CHA by referral from mental health care providers through a system coordinated by Baltimore Mental Health Systems. All have a clinical diagnosis of a mental illness and are either homeless or at risk of being homeless. Our tenants have incomes that are less than 30% of the area median income.

3. Our Staff