About Us
Who We Are
Cherry Hill Development Corporation (CHDC) is a resident-led, 501(c)(3) nonprofit community development corporation incorporated in 1981 and dedicated to community development, housing, economic opportunity, and neighborhood revitalization in Cherry Hill — Baltimore's southernmost neighborhood.
Our Mission
To promote the general welfare and economic development of low- and moderate-income residents of Cherry Hill, Baltimore, Maryland.
Our Vision
A thriving Cherry Hill where community stewardship, economic opportunity, quality housing, and resident leadership create lasting prosperity for current and future generations.
Betty Keaton-Baze, a co-founder of CHDC, is pictured here holding her award — recognizing her as a community legend of Cherry Hill.
Our History
Built by Residents
In the 1970s, a group of Cherry Hill residents came together with a shared conviction: their community deserved quality housing, economic opportunity, and a seat at the table in decisions that affected their lives. They organized the Cherry Hill Development Corporation in the 1970s and officially incorporated it in 1981 as one of Baltimore's longstanding resident-led community development corporations.
Over the following 45 years, CHDC has played a consistent role in major planning efforts in Cherry Hill — from Cherry Hill 2000 in 1995 to the 2020 Transformation Plan — and translated those plans into tangible community investment: the $23 million Riverfront Townhomes redevelopment, 24 affordable homeownership units at Riverview Estates, and a growing portfolio of homeownership and repair programs.
Today, CHDC is actively advancing adopted community planning priorities through housing, homeownership, preservation, resident engagement, and responsible development partnerships.
Read the full history →Governance
Resident-Led Governance
Since its founding, CHDC has been rooted in Cherry Hill resident leadership. Its board has included community members who live, work, serve, and invest in Cherry Hill, helping ensure CHDC's work remains grounded in the priorities, values, and long-term interests of the community it serves.
Resident-Centered Governance
CHDC's decisions are informed by resident priorities, community input, adopted plans, and the organization's nonprofit mission.
Long-Term Commitment
CHDC leaders are neighbors, longtime residents, and community stakeholders with a generational investment in Cherry Hill.
Accountability to Community
CHDC remains accountable to its mission, its community-rooted governance, and the residents it was created to serve.
Continuity of Vision
From our founders to today's leadership, CHDC has maintained a consistent vision: a thriving, equitable Cherry Hill where residents have a meaningful voice in shaping their own future.
Stewardship
Community Stewardship
CHDC approaches community development through long-term stewardship, not short-term project thinking. We are committed to helping ensure that neighborhood investment is rooted in Cherry Hill, supports long-term stability, reduces displacement pressure, and creates new development that serves existing residents while welcoming future residents.
Our commitment to stewardship is reflected in both community planning and implementation—helping transform resident-driven visions into tangible investments, affordable housing opportunities, and long-term community assets that benefit Cherry Hill for generations.
Housing Development
Affordable Housing Development
CHDC has a proven track record of delivering quality affordable housing in Cherry Hill. Our housing development work spans rental housing, homeownership, and home repair — addressing a range of housing needs in our community.
Riverfront Townhomes
$23 million LIHTC redevelopment. Former Hanover Park Apartments transformed into quality affordable rental housing. Cherry Hill families stayed.
Riverview Estates
24 new affordable homeownership townhomes. Cherry Hill families gained a real, accessible path to building equity and owning their homes.
Current Pipeline
BRHI homes, Patapsco Pointe, and CHDC's partnership with the South Baltimore Community Land Trust represent the next generation of affordable housing investment.
Economic Development
Community Development & Neighborhood Revitalization
CHDC's work is rooted in a long-term vision of community development — ensuring that Cherry Hill residents are not just beneficiaries of neighborhood investment, but active participants and long-term stakeholders in it.
Homeownership Opportunities
CHDC's homeownership programs — BRHI, Riverview Estates, and the Community Land Trust — create pathways for Cherry Hill families to achieve homeownership.
Housing Preservation
As Baltimore invests in neighborhoods like Cherry Hill, CHDC works to ensure that longtime residents benefit from neighborhood growth. Our Community Land Trust and Legacy Homeowner Repair Initiative are key tools for preserving community stability.
Legacy Homeowner Protection
The Legacy Homeowner Repair Initiative protects longtime Cherry Hill homeowners by providing critical repair assistance that keeps homes safe, habitable, and in the hands of the families who built them.
Neighborhood Revitalization
CHDC's development work — from blight reduction to new construction — contributes to the physical and economic revitalization of Cherry Hill, creating a neighborhood where families want to live, invest, and stay.
Ready to learn more or get involved?
Whether you are a resident, partner, funder, or supporter, there is a place for you in CHDC's work.