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Department of Housing and Community Development

Community Legacy Program Director Wins 2015 Frances Morton Froelicher Civic Statesmanship Award

Director Kevin Baynes Honored for His Civic Commitment and Contributions to Strengthen Growth and Revitalization in Baltimore City

BALTIMORE – Kevin Baynes, director of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s Community Legacy Program, has been named the 2015 recipient of the Frances Morton Froelicher Civic Statemanship Award, presented by the Citizens Planning & Housing Association.

The award honors an individual who exemplifies leadership, and demonstrates outstanding achievement and commitment in improving the quality of life for all Baltimoreans, particularly in the areas of community development, affordable housing, improved public education and greater racial harmony. The award is named in recognition of Frances Morton Froelicher, who served as the association’s first executive director for more than 25 years.

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Kevin Baynes, director of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s Community Legacy Program.

As director for community legacy, Baynes has leveraged a range of revitalization programs supporting millions of dollars in public and private investment in Baltimore. The Community Legacy program supports local governments and community development organizations to fund essential projects aimed at strengthening communities through business retention and attraction, encouraging homeownership and commercial revitalization. Since 2008, programs such as Community Legacy, Community Investment Tax Credits and Community Development Block Grants have invested more than $117 million in Maryland’s communities, with the largest impact in Baltimore City.

Baynes’ extensive experience, spanning nearly 30 years, includes serving as a senior housing inspector for the City of Baltimore and economic development specialist for the COIL Community Economic Development Corporation. He also served as a member of the Baltimore Housing Roundtable, where he coordinated training programs and workshops for affordable housing developers.

Prior to joining the department, Baynes worked for the Maryland Center for Community Development and was responsible for developing training programs and providing technical support for community development organizations.

Baynes was honored on Dec. 9 at the Citizens Planning & Housing Association’s 74th Annual Meeting in Baltimore, which include William Donald Schaefer, former mayor of Baltimore and governor of Maryland, Bernard “Jack” Young, president of the Baltimore City Council and Mary Pat Clarke, council member for the Baltimore City Council, representing the 14th District.

For more information about the award, visit www.cphabaltimore.org/froelicher. To learn more about the department’s neighborhood revitalization programs, visit www.dhcd.maryland.gov/Communities.

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