The Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC) was established in 1937 to provide federally-funded public housing programs and related services for Baltimore's low-income residents. HABC is the fifth largest public housing authority in the country, with more than 1,000 employees and an annual budget of approximately $300 million. The Agency currently serves over 20,000 residents in more than 10,000 housing units. HABC's portfolio includes 28 family developments, 17 mixed population buildings, 2 senior buildings and scattered sites throughout the City. Baltimore's Housing Choice Voucher program provides an additional 12,000 families with rental housing subsidies each year.

The Housing Authority of Baltimore City has embarked on several energy conservation initiatives since 2006. HABC has focused on greening and sustainability practices at its various properties, ensuring the use of ENERGY STAR® appliances and tools and most notably, undertaking a massive self-directed Energy Performance Contract initiative at 5 of its major sites. This is directly congruent with how HBAC plans to support Better Buildings Challenge efforts within the housing portfolio. In addition to what has been accomplished in the last year HBAC will continue with heating and electrical infrastructure upgrades, ENERGY STAR appliances, energy-efficient lighting, water-saving fixtures, utility metering, and weatherization projects for an additional 13 sites as well as over 200 scattered sites.

“Being an inaugural partner with President Obama’s Better Building Challenge keeps us at the forefront of the effort to maintain a continuous focus on energy and utility conservation for the next 10 years,” says Paul T. Graziano, HABC Executive Director. "The importance of energy conservation translates into a simple rationale. The more we engage our residents and educate them on the importance of conserving, the more we save on our overall utility bills and can invest in public housing. It is a win for our residents, our communities and our environment."