Records show Baltimore officials’ mad dash to keep tenants housed after nonprofit housing provider stopped paying rents

Federal housing officials have requested an investigation of a city nonprofit they believe misused federal grant money meant to subsidize the rents of extremely vulnerable tenants to prevent homelessness. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development spokesperson Sean Callahan said the agency has referred the nonprofit to the U.S. Office of Inspector General of Investigations, which determines if cases get referred for prosecution or civil action. Housing officials at the Baltimore field office do not know if the investigation into AIDS Interfaith Residential Services and its wholly owned subsidiary, Empire Homes of Maryland, has been initiated, Callahan said.