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Trump teams up with Pastor to help revitalize areas of Baltimore

Posted at 11:23 PM, Dec 12, 2018
and last updated 2018-12-13 07:47:25-05

BALTIMORE, Md. (WMAR) — A food desert filled with vacant homes, just some of the problems the people of East Baltimore want help with.

“We need a place to shop we don’t have a market here,” said Vanessa Bazzelle. “We need green, pretty green grass. Our bishop has been working diligently to rebuild the community with the dilapidated homes in the community and rebuild the homes so that we have affordable homes to live in.”

Southern Baptist Church Pastor Donte Hickman has been developing the area around his church for years.

On Wednesday he stood next to President Donald Trump as he put ink to paper to incentivize an estimated $100 billion in all 50 states by creating The White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council.

“We’re drawing investment into neglected and undeserved communities of America so that all Americans regardless of zip code regardless of zip code have access to the American Dream,” said President Trump.

Of the 8,700 zones in the country 150 are in Maryland, over 40 of them are in Baltimore.

In communities like Hickman’s where he has already torn down vacant homes put up affordable living for the elderly he’s ready to show how far some help can go.

“Baltimore is prepared to be a demonstration project for a national urban revitalization strategy,” said Hickman. “We look forward to working to working with your administration on rebuilding opportunity in our urban communities that have suffered from disinvestment and dilapidation for decades. "

Former Johns Hopkins surgeon and current Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Ben Carson will lead the federal effort.