City officials tour East Baltimore neighborhood, aim to reduce quality-of-life issues
BALTIMORE -- About a mile south of Morgan State University, Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott held a community walk to address open service requests in the Coldstream-Homestead-Montebello community.
The public university was the site of a shooting Tuesday evening that left five people injured and a campus in shelter-in-place mode for hours.
While MSU students and staff reel from the trauma of the incident and police search for a suspect, life in the nearby neighborhood, colloquially known as the CHUM, held heavy hearts as well.
"It hurts. It's hurtful," said resident Renee Lee. "I mean, I'm just tired of all the shooting."
Every few weeks, Scott holds community walks with different city departments.
In coordination with Mark Washington, the Executive Director for the Coldstream-Homestead-Montebello Community Corporation, issues of blight and crime were highlighted.
"What we're hoping for them to see today is for them to see up close and personal how any delay in response impacts the quality of life of the residents in this area," Washington said.
Some of the top concerns reported by residents included illegal dumping, unpermitted property work, rodents and group homes.
"They're having a stifling effect on property values, and we fully welcome individuals that are in difficult housing situations, and so, we're looking for a better balance," Washington said.
Crime trends near the university also pose public safety questions for some people. This year, the community is grappling with several instances of violent crimes.
Since the start of 2023, data from the police department reveals the neighborhood has been the site of six homicides, 23 robberies, five carjackings and three shootings.
"Dealing with the young men and young women that may have been on the other side and pulling them onto the right side. Here, we've seen CHM improve drastically over the years," Scott said. "Now, as you heard, it's about building up on that."
311 service requests are public, meaning that a person can search for complaints that have already been filed. The city's website shows the progress of an issue being addressed.
