The Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA), in partnership with the CONVERGENCE Collaborative today announced the launch of CONVERGENCE Baltimore, a new place-based initiative designed to increase sustainable homeownership opportunities by bringing together local and national stakeholders to address barriers to housing access throughout the Baltimore region.

Developed in 2019, CONVERGENCE, MBA’s affordable housing initiative, is a collaborative model that convenes mortgage lenders, housing counselors, real estate professionals, nonprofit organizations, government agencies, community leaders, and other stakeholders to identify local housing challenges and implement market-driven solutions that expand access to affordable and sustainable homeownership.

Neighborhood Housing Services of Baltimore, Inc. (NHS Baltimore) will serve as the lead partner organization for CONVERGENCE Baltimore, coordinate local partners, facilitate collaboration, and guide implementation of strategies tailored to the needs of Baltimore communities.

M&T Bank has joined CONVERGENCE Baltimore as a cornerstone member, demonstrating its commitment to advancing sustainable homeownership opportunities and supporting collaborative, community-driven solutions across the region.

"Homeownership remains one of the most effective pathways to building long-term financial security, but expanding access requires collaboration across the housing ecosystem," said Wendy Penn, MBA’s Vice President of Affordable Housing Initiatives. ”CONVERGENCE Baltimore will bring together organizations committed to turning ideas into action and creating practical solutions that help more individuals and families achieve sustainable homeownership. We're proud to partner with Neighborhood Housing Services of Baltimore and the many stakeholders working to expand opportunity and strengthen communities across the region."

Baltimore joins a growing network of CONVERGENCE markets alongside Philadelphia, Columbus, and Memphis. In each market, organizations across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors work together to address local housing challenges and expand sustainable homeownership opportunities through community-driven solutions.

“NHS Baltimore is proud to partner with the Mortgage Bankers Association to bring CONVERGENCE to Baltimore,” said Dan Ellis, Neighborhood Housing Services of Baltimore’s CEO. “We are excited to collaborate with stakeholders across the city to identify solutions to long-term challenges being confronted in Baltimore. By working together, we can leverage our collective impact to bring meaningful change for Baltimore’s neighborhoods and residents.”

"Creating more opportunities for homeownership is an investment in the future of Baltimore. It strengthens families, builds more resilient neighborhoods, and creates lasting economic opportunity,” said Sherrice Davis, M&T Bank’s Vice President. “M&T Bank has worked for several years with local and national partners to help bring CONVERGENCE to Baltimore, including identifying Neighborhood Housing Services of Baltimore as the local organization to help lead this important work. We're excited to see this collaboration become a reality because lasting progress happens when organizations come together with a shared commitment to expanding sustainable homeownership across our region."

For more information on CONVERGENCE, please click here.