I’m from the government, and I’m here to help you.

     Ronald Reagan said those were the “nine most terrifying words in the English language.”

     Elderly homeowners who need minor maintenance on their home would disagree – if such help were available and they knew of its existence.

     An elderly homeowner may face more pressing problems than a leaky roof and is justifiably reluctant to take on debt.

     However, a deteriorating property poses a problem for its owners, their heirs, and their neighbors.

     We need to intervene before these people get “caught in the crosshairs of code enforcement,” said a participant at my pre-bill drafting meeting.

     CHAI is already providing such assistance in Northwest Baltimore, but the need far exceeds its resources.

      My conversations with some of the first families to buy on their block in Forest Park and other communities are confirmed by the census data.  There are hundreds of homeowners 75 and older in the Park Heights and Liberty Heights corridors.

       We decided to draft a bill creating a task force on aging in place.

      Help from the government may be on its way.