Our Community
Our people:
Greater Charles Village is home to people of every walk of life. Its residents span the socioeconomic spectrum, from service workers and day laborers to professors and business owners. The proximity of JHU means that there is a strong presence of well-educated residents, and the community’s racial and cultural diversity is increased even more by the presence of international students. The coming and going of these students, in tandem with a high ratio of renters to homeowners, means that Greater Charles Village’s population experiences regular turnover of a certain percentage of its residents. Although this poses certain challenges, it also means that the neighborhood benefits from a constant flow of new residents with fresh insight and unique perspectives.
Our strengths:
Greater Charles Village is home to several active neighborhood associations, a sign of residents’ civic activism. Diversity and walkability are often cited by residents as reasons to live in Charles Village. Historic Baltimore rowhouses anchor the housing stock. The neighborhood is home to a wide variety of institutions, businesses and service providers. Union Memorial Hospital sits in the heart of the community and is easily accessible by public transportation. JHU offers musical performances, art exhibits, and scholarly lectures—many of which are free and open to the public. The area is a Community Benefits District, offering added sanitation and security services. The neighborhood has two zoned public schools, Margaret Brent Elementary/Middle School and the Barclay School. Both schools are community schools, meaning the services provided on site make them resources not only for parents and students, but for the community at large.
Greater Charles Village is home to several active neighborhood associations, a sign of residents’ civic activism. Diversity and walkability are often cited by residents as reasons to live in Charles Village. Historic Baltimore rowhouses anchor the housing stock. The neighborhood is home to a wide variety of institutions, businesses and service providers. Union Memorial Hospital sits in the heart of the community and is easily accessible by public transportation. JHU offers musical performances, art exhibits, and scholarly lectures—many of which are free and open to the public. The area is a Community Benefits District, offering added sanitation and security services. The neighborhood has two zoned public schools, Margaret Brent Elementary/Middle School and the Barclay School. Both schools are community schools, meaning the services provided on site make them resources not only for parents and students, but for the community at large.
Our challenges:
Greater Charles Village is faced with many of the same challenges as other urban neighborhoods. There are major racial and socioeconomic divides between the northern and southern halves of the neighborhood. Although the schools continue to improve and enjoy some community support, they serve mostly low income African American residents. Middle and upper income residents tend to send children to private, parochial and charter schools, resulting in de facto segregation in the schools. In many parts of the community, trash and sanitation remain major issues, despite regular cleanings by the Benefits District. The community is still reeling from a string of violent crimes that took place along its eastern edge earlier this year. As a result of budget constraints, the area’s recreation centers are in danger of being closed, which would result in even fewer options for area youth in need of positive extra-curricular activities. Youth complain frequently about the lack of not only activities, but also safe spaces in which to play.
Our Communities for All Ages:
The Greater Charles Village team comprises many active community members and service providers in the area. Convened by the Greater Homewood Community Corporation, an organization with 40 years of organizing experience in Greater Charles Village, our team features representation from both public schools as well as staff from the Baltimore Lab School, an independent school for students with learning disabilities. Additionally, the team includes Village Learning Place, which offers vital after-school programming along with programming and resources for community members of all ages, has taken an active role in shaping the team and our project. The Charles Village Parents, an up-and-coming organization of concerned citizens promoting school quality and activities for parents of young children, has contributed the energy of its members.
