Coldstream Homestead Montebello

In many ways Coldstream-Homestead-Montebello captures the essence of what it means to live in Baltimore. On the one hand, it features elegant, stately brick row houses built in the later part of the 19th century. On the other, many of them are boarded up and stand as sad testimony of a community that has fallen on seriously hard times. While residents work hard to try to rebuild and restore their homes and make their street safer, they are still fighting something of a losing battle against crime and gang violence.

Most of Coldstream’s residents are African-American families with school aged children. The retired residents who are still in the neighborhood are often raising their grandchildren. Many families are dependent on government programs for food stamps, energy supplements and home improvement items. They also take advantage of locally sponsored programs for youth, including everything from dance classes to computer instruction.

Given its current circumstances, I would not recommend Coldstream-Homestead-Montebello to anyone with children or to the elderly. However, it could be a great opportunity for a young single person or couple who want to be part of a war against poverty and desperation.