Rich Hall now in Charge of CPHA

One of Baltimore's oldest community advocacy groups (founded in 1941), CPHA has recently been without a leader after Mel Freeman resigned form his position as Executive Director.

As of yesterday, CPHA has tapped Rich Hall, Secretary of Planning under Governor O'Malley to lead CPHA. They released this notice to their members:

Former Planning Secretary
Rich Hall now leads CPHA.
He is an avid beer connoisseur and
family man 

The Citizens Planning and Housing Association Board of Directors is thrilled to announce that Richard E. Hall will serve as the next CPHA Executive Director.

Rich's outstanding experience as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Planning, with 25+ years of neighborhood planning and leadership, and as a passionate advocate of Baltimore communities and our region, will carry CPHA into the future.   Rich is highly respected throughout our city and state and we are confident that under his leadership, we will determine Baltimore's future, together.

Please join us in welcoming Rich to CPHA.  Rich is going to spend his first 30 days reaching out to you. In June CPHA will convene a community conversation with community leaders, elected officials,  business leaders, and residents to discuss our needs in Baltimore, understand what you are doing, and what CPHA should prioritize.  We are counting on your insight and knowledge to move our communities forward.

CPHA's mission has become more important in recent weeks and new leadership will hopefully allow the organization to gather strength and the funding needed to realize its mission:

CPHA brings about a healthy, inclusive Baltimore by:

• Bringing together people and neighborhoods to create innovative solutions to challenging, community-wide problems
• Empowering citizens with information and skills for advocacy and organizing, and
• Championing solutions through legislative and policy reforms.

Richard Hall had been with the Maryland Department of Planning (later: department of Planning) since 1992. He became Secretary in January 2007 and served for eight years until he resigned after the election of Governor Hogan. The new Secretary is David R. Craig, as Hall coming to the State department from Harford County.

Klaus Philipsen, FAIA

I have served with Richard Hall on the 1000 Friends of Maryland Board and have enjoyed years of cordial collaboration.