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BMZA backs 50-resident residential care facility downtown with security and controlled-access conditions
Summary
The board approved Reach Behavioral Health’s plan to convert a former rooming house at 111 West Malbury into a supervised residential care facility for up to 50 residents, attaching conditions requiring exterior security cameras and controlled access before occupancy.
Baltimore — The Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals voted unanimously on May 19 to allow Reach Behavioral Health to operate a residential care facility for as many as 50 residents at 111 West Malbury Street, provided the operator implements specified safety conditions.
Chase Hopberger, the applicant’s representative, described the site as a consolidated set of lots well-suited to the proposed use. Reach officials including CEO Ivan Forna and operations representative Harvey Chambers told the board the program will be structured and supervised, will not provide detox on-site, and will use controlled exterior access and security cameras. Forna said clients are transported for services and do not “wander off” unsupervised.
Planning recommended approval with conditions that exterior security cameras and lighting be maintained and that controlled access be provided. Board members said the property’s history and the downtown C5 zoning context supported the requested size given the building’s existing layout and life-safety systems; the board adopted planning’s conditions. The vote was unanimous (3–0).
The written resolution will list the required security and access conditions; applicants must follow through with building-permit and occupancy processes before admitting residents.
