Vernoy Coleman has kept himself warm in his Baltimore house with three blankets and a couple of space heaters. His furnace had failed 5 years ago, but his request for help sat on the city’s housing rehabilitation and repairs waiting list — along with nearly 5,000 other Baltimore homeowners.
Coleman said he called the city about 10 times while waiting. “They don’t do nothing,” he said. “I’m just wasting my time.”
His experience shows a city housing repair program that has fallen behind on its mission – one so overwhelmed that thousands of low- and moderate-income residents wait years for basic heat, plumbing and roof repairs. A Spotlight on Maryland analysis shows the backlog is so large it could take as long as 15 years to clear at current pace, raising questions about whether city leaders are doing enough to protect vulnerable homeowners and prevent avoidable homelessness…