The idea for Artists' Housing was conceived of by members of the Baltimore community and the Mayor's Commission on Arts and Culture as a not-for-profit housing cooperative with the mission of providing affordable housing for artists of all kinds. The project was developed in 1984 through a joint effort of the Neighborhood Progress Administration/DHCD, the Mayor's Advisory Council on Art and Culture, Citizens for Washington Hill and HUD. The original Board of Directors was made up of Jody Albright, Bill Leisman, Betty Hyatt, and two members from the Baltimore City Housing Department. This original Board obtained all the funds necessary for this project, designed the living spaces, drew up corporate papers, and selected the first members of this housing cooperative. Located in the Washington Hill area of Baltimore City at East Baltimore and North Caroline Streets, the Co-op is near historic Fell's Point and Baltimore's famous Inner Harbor. The building consists of 32 units, ranging from 600 to 1000 square feet, in one half block of renovated storefront row houses. The renovation was done with two years worth of block grant money allocated for Washington Hill amounting to $500,000.00 and a low-interest loan from HUD for $750,000.00. The City contributed $60,000.00 more when additional funds were needed to finish the renovation work. Artists first began living in the Co-op in 1986. Over the next two years all the units were occupied.
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