Baltimore council committee hears that home‑repair programs for older adults face long waits, staffing and contractor constraints

Baltimore City Council members, city housing officials, nonprofit partners and older residents met for an informational hearing on home‑repair assistance programs for older adults, where witnesses described long wait lists and operational bottlenecks that are delaying repairs meant to keep seniors safe and in their homes.

Councilman John Bullock, chair of the Education, Youth and Older Adults Committee, opened the hearing explaining that the session would update the council on city and partner efforts and invited the Department of Housing and Community Development and the Mayor’s Office to report on progress. Councilwoman Odette Ramos, sponsor of the hearing, said the council “wants to be partners to make sure that all of our older adults can age in place with dignity.”

The hearing brought several older residents to testify about delays. Cecilia Alexander, a senior resident, told the panel that “When you're dealing with a vulnerable population, time is just not precious. It's critical,” and described a months‑long intake delay and difficulty getting a consistent caseworker. Resident Quentin Whaley described years of attempts to secure roof and electrical work, saying he had been “on the line with these same public people for over 4 years” and that after an initial contractor intervention his roof failed again.

City and partner testimony: structure, funding and constraints

Alice Kennedy, Commissioner of the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), described the city’s intake and delivery structure. DHCD’s “light” intake and assessment unit handles pre‑applications and document collection and refers eligible homeowners to the Office of Rehabilitation Services (ORS) or partner programs for construction. Kennedy said the office triages “priority emergency cases where there is immediate threat to health, life, and safety,” but emphasized that the overall workflow—from…