Brodie: Developers have chance to piggyback on housing program’s success

It’s hard to believe. A program rehabilitating 3,476 apartments, almost all in quite visible high-rise buildings, has had so little public attention. The program is RAD, an acronym for the Rental Assistance Demonstration, conceived in the Obama administration and approved by Congress in 2012. Locally, the Housing Authority of Baltimore City was quick to act — and soon led a partnership with both private and nonprofit companies — and without any public relations fanfare. Developers who have not yet participated should now be aware that there’s still opportunity to be involved in Baltimore and nationally. Just as importantly, developers should leverage RAD’s momentum here by pursuing rehabilitation and new construction projects in the 16 neighborhoods where the RAD investment — $743 million to date — has already been made.