BALTIMORE (Map, News) - Episcopal Housing Corporation is in the business of developing housing for other nonprofit agencies’ clients.

“We form partnerships with social service agencies that have housing or community facility projects, and we act as development consultants for them,” said Episcopal Housing Corporation Executive Director Dan McCarthy.

McCarthy cited local substance abuse recovery and affordable housing outreach groups as two client examples, and said his 13-year-old organization runs interference for them as they develop their outreach dream.

“They’re not real estate developers, and they really don’t know how to go about getting the money for their buildings, getting the plans and specs, hiring the contractor and then overseeing the construction,” McCarthy said of typical clients. “We provide those services for them.”

Episcopal Housing has an operating budget of $325,000 a year and a 2007 development tab of $7 million. Since its incorporation in 1995, it has developed 22 projects and currently has six under management, five in Baltimore City.

One is the Collington Square Oxford House effort, a $350,000 renovation and integration of three downtown row houses that will provide structured housing for seven male recovering substance abusers.

“I have nothing but accolades for them,” said Lena M. Franklin, executive director of Baltimore’s Recovery in Community. “They were part of a developing team for the women’s transitional house that we opened in October and initially worked with us for almost two years without any pay.”

Noting that Episcopal Housing’s projects are expanding in number, size and complexity, McCarthy said, however, that the ongoing credit crunch was adversely affecting activity. The state-awarded low-income housing tax credits that many nonprofit developers sell on the capital markets to help finance their projects are now worth about 15 percent less than a year ago.

But McCarthy remains upbeat and sees Episcopal Housing’s role as crucial to both preserving affordable housing in Baltimore and to providing temptation-reduced environments for recovering substance abusers.

“They’ve been with us every step of the way as we worked to renovate two row homes to permanent housing for recovering clients,” said Todd Marcus, president of Baltimore’s Newborn Holistic Ministries. “They did an excellent job raising the money and seeing the projects through to completion.”

Comments from Examiner Readers

11:57 AM MST on Tue., Apr. 29, 2008 re: "Ministry stresses local entrepreneurship"

Examiner Reader said:
It seems as though the Examiner just lets Mr. Corrigan recycle the same story every week or so, and has let him do it for about the last 9 weeks. As much as I support recycling, I think it might be time for a new topic.

2 agree | 0 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

4:59 PM MST on Thu., Dec. 6, 2007 re: "Washington-area nonprofits coordinate different crisis-management strategies"

Examiner Reader said:
It's only a matter of time. Plan thoroughly, consider all options, and where roadblocks are placed before you, find alternatives. Remember that during the Katrina evac, all the buses where in the up-scale part of town that the walkers from poor sections couldn't get to in time. Please be careful. People need you, but there are those who don't want you to succeed.

171 agree | 117 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

8:32 AM MST on Thu., Nov. 22, 2007 re: "Study: Nonprofit employment growing faster than private sector"

Examiner Reader said:
With all the shady, non-taxed, I mean, so-called, non-profits in Maryland, working for a non-profit is working in the private sector.

136 agree | 135 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

11:40 AM MST on Tue., Aug. 14, 2007 re: "Marian House helps at-risk women cultivate independence"

Huh? said:
"[T]his $1.6 million, 22-employee nonprofit has a track record to support its claim." Okay, fair enough. So, what's the track record? Also, if the org has helped about 1,000 women since 1994, that's fewer than 90 women per year and there are 22 employees! It had better be successful at that ratio. Another point: Not-for-profit is merely a tax status. It does not mean that administrators cannot earn a handsome salary. I am not suggesting that is the case here but there's a reason these places don't share that info without being asked.

241 agree | 213 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

8:50 AM MST on Tue., Jul. 3, 2007 re: "Martha�s Place promotes hope for women overcoming addictions"

Examiner Reader said:
As a woman in recovery who needed balance in my life recovery houses such as M artha"s Place deserve to recieve all the available resources to help restore self-esteem, and save lives. How can we mimnimize lives by withholding funds. I am an alumni who's life has been restored because of Martha's Place! I thank God for Elder & Mrs.Harris for leaping out into an area many others have not and willnot accept the challenage to save lives!

271 agree | 259 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

12:18 PM MST on Tue., Jun. 19, 2007 re: "Health Care for the Homeless to expand services"

Examiner Reader said:
Hi! Thank you so much for printing this article. It is a wonderful summary of what this incredible organization does. My husband works for Jeff Singer. Jeff is an incredibly humble, gracious and loving person. He truly cares about each person who comes through his Center. He deeply appreciates the job that everyone does on a daily basis. One can only truly appreciate the magnificent compassion and respect this organization offers to our homeless friends by visiting the center and helping face-to-face, hand-to-hand and heart-to-heart as this family reaches out to those in need. Thanks again for helping to make our neighbors aware of the needs of our brothers and sisters and the assistance provided by these loving angels of mercy!

646 agree | 276 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

12:20 PM MST on Wed., May. 23, 2007 re: "D.C. charity helps kids pump clean water in Africa"

Matthew C. Andrea said:
Please post the contact information for PlayPumps International. This concept is brilliant, fun and uplifting. Definitely something that I would like to support.

616 agree | 311 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate

7:21 AM MST on Wed., May. 2, 2007 re: "Advisory board trims list of nonprofit grant applications"

Examiner Reader said:
When is Montgomery County going to realize that Casa of MD is taking them/us to the cleaners?

582 agree | 362 disagree
Vote on this comment: I agree or I disagree

Report as inappropriate