Baltimore, Maryland is home to some of the oldest and most notorious public housing projects in the United States. From Perkins Homes to Gilmor Homes, these projects have been plagued by drug trafficking, poverty, and gang violence for decades. In this article, we'll take a look at the ten most dangerous housing projects in Baltimore and explore the history behind them.
Perkins Homes
is one of the oldest public housing projects located in the southeastern Baltimore area. This public housing project opened in 1956 and was comprised of tidy townhouses such as Little Italy, Upper Fells Point, and Fells Point.Unfortunately, years of drug trafficking, poverty, and lack of maintenance have taken their toll on the courts in Lafayette. All residents and city officials seemed to agree that the community was a lost cause and couldn't be fixed.
Murphy Homes
is another notorious public housing project located in West Baltimore. This community became one of the largest complexes in the country and the city's first skyscraper project. It's this grim scenario that made Murphy Homes famous, as it ranks as one of the most dangerous housing projects in Baltimore.The community was located within the East Harbor Empowerment Zone of the Fells Point area, and was one of the oldest housing projects in Southeast Baltimore.
Gilmor Homes
is yet another public housing project erected in the Winchester area of West Baltimore. This development occurred before the remarkable era of skyscrapers. The crime rate here has been above average in terms of national rates. Notable inveterate drug dealers such as Nathan Barksdale (popularly known as “Bodie”) and Warren Boadley (whose street name was “black”) ran their million-dollar operations from these housing projects in the 80s. Other dangerous housing projects include Flag House Projects, Poe Homes, McCulloh Homes, Latrobe Homes, Lexington Terrace, O'Donnell Heights, Douglass Homes, and Armistead Gardens.In 1992, for example, a police officer was chasing drug dealers when he was ambushed and shot dead inside Flag House projects. In an effort to combat crime and improve living conditions for residents of these housing projects, the city has launched several major initiatives. The Baltimore City Department of Public Works submitted a joint permit request to the Wetlands and Waterways Program of the Non-Tidal Wetlands Division of the Maryland Department of the Environment to apply for a joint permit for the LRD Culvert 11 project. This project involves the replacement of an existing 30-inch RCP sewer and the repair of a washing area adjacent to the LRD. In addition to this project, some 244 acres are being demolished and rebuilt in East and Southeast Baltimore in Oldtown and in the former public housing projects of Somerset and Perkins Homes. This is a bold urban project that will hopefully help to reduce crime rates and improve living conditions for residents. Based on scientific data and data from law enforcement officers, these are the ten most dangerous housing projects in Baltimore: Perkins Homes, Murphy Homes, Gilmor Homes, Flag House Projects, Poe Homes, McCulloh Homes, Latrobe Homes, Lexington Terrace, O'Donnell Heights, Douglass Homes, and Armistead Gardens.
