ATLANTA, Nov. 13 /U.S. Newswire/ -- An in-depth newspaper seriesabout the decayed, overcrowded and lead paint-infested homes in oneBaltimore neighborhood today earned the third annual "Excellence inUrban Journalism Award." The series, written by The (Baltimore)Sun's Jim Haner, brought investigations into housing violations andspurred a multi-agency investigation into a drug dealer who hadestablished property management companies to launder money andstymie housing inspectors.
The award, conferred annually by The Enterprise Foundation andThe Freedom Forum, honors outstanding coverage of the challengesfacing inner-city America and the people who live there. TheFreedom Forum, a nonpartisan foundation dedicated to free press,free speech and free spirit for all people, and Enterprise, thenation's community development leader, created the Excellence inUrban Journalism Award in 1998.
Haner, a Sun metro reporter, spent more than a year in a slumenclave of east Baltimore, producing a collection of stories thatstunned state and city officials as well as residents. Theneighborhood surrounds a small, struggling elementary school, andthe investigation revealed that felons were purchasing up blocks ofrun-down houses and renting them in substandard condition to thearea's residents, who often were too destitute to fight the practiceor to leave their neighborhood. The "landlords" undermined urbanrenewal efforts and contributed to the plague of lead-paintpoisoning that had earned the neighborhood its moniker,"Zombieland." Buttressing his on-site reporting with extensivedatabase research, Haner brought to light a ring of property owners,many with extensive drug dealing records, who were being shelteredby property management companies.
As a result of the series, Maryland and Baltimore officialspledged $50 million to rid the city of housing contributing to leadpoisoning. Additionally, Baltimore agencies targeted forinvestigation a particularly egregious slum speculator, and cityofficials began work to overhaul housing enforcement efforts andimprove communication among city offices. Finally, a drug kingpinwho had been using his real estate business to launder money wasconvicted of masterminding a drug conspiracy.
The Sun's ambitious series was selected from among 46 print andbroadcast admissions. Haner received a $5,000 award for his seriesat The Enterprise Foundation's 19th annual Network Conference inAtlanta. Judges were Ray Suarez, of PBS' "NewsHour with JimLehrer," and Marcia Slacum Greene, reporter for The Washington Post.
"Urban communities too often are ignored or their problems notwell understood," said Bart Harvey, chairman and CEO of TheEnterprise Foundation. "Congratulations to Mr. Haner and to The Sunfor investing the time and resources to investigate these imperativeissues and for instigating the process of restoring the fragilebalance of this neighborhood. The Enterprise Foundation and TheFreedom Forum wish to support media interest in the significantissues and people in urban settings."
Charles L. Overby, chairman and CEO of The Freedom Forum, said,"This award exemplifies the best in journalism -- reporting that hasa real impact on people's lives, that generates change, and thateducates the public about important, often hidden, issues in ourcities. We hope this recognition encourages editors and reportersto pursue such coverage more vigorously."
Entries for the 2001 award must be postmarked by April 1, 2001,and mailed to Sandra Gregg, The Enterprise Foundation, 10227Wincopin Circle, Floor 5, Columbia, MD 21044-3313.
Single articles, series, broadcast and Internet submissions thatwere published during calendar year 2000 are eligible. Entries mustinvolve news or feature reports on how a community has been affected-- positively or negatively -- by an event or situation. Topics mayinclude, but are not limited to, housing, community safety,community development, transportation, welfare to work andchildcare.
Application forms will be available by mail and on the Internetafter Jan. 1, 2001, at: www.freedomforum.org/professional/apps/urbanaward.asp www.enterprisefoundation.org
The Enterprise Foundation rebuilds communities. Working withpartners and a national network of more than 1,500 nonprofitorganizations in 550 locations, Enterprise provides low-incomepeople with affordable housing, safer streets and access to jobs andchild care. Enterprise has raised and committed more than $3.4billion in equity, loans and grants to help build or renovate morethan 107,000 homes. Launched by Jim and Patty Rouse in 1982,Enterprise is building America one community at a time.
The Freedom Forum, based in Arlington, Va., is a nonpartisan,international foundation dedicated to free press, free speech andfree spirit for all people. The foundation focuses on four mainpriorities: the Newseum, the interactive museum of news inArlington, Va.; First Amendment issues; newsroom diversity; andworld press freedom.
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