BALTIMORE — The Housing Authority of Baltimore City says they will keep their doors open despite the government closing theirs.
They say they are able to continue to operate normally thanks to their reserve fund, so for now they will continue to provide full services and pay vendors as well as employees.
The HABC gets almost all of its funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development which was one of the federal agencies affected by the shutdown.
"We can cope with this situation in the short-term but our concern is over a prolonged shutdown," said HABC Executive Director Janet Abrahams. "Many people are not aware that we are directly affected by what happens in Washington and it's important to plan accordingly."
January payments for the HABC's Housing Choice Voucher Program for landlords are already in place, so clients in that program are covered.
"Some critics have told us we should not maintain any kind of reserve, but a situation such as this demonstrates exactly why we manage our finances in the responsible manner we do," said Abrahams. "We hope that not only our residents, staff and vendors, but all citizens of Baltimore, will find some assurance from that."
