Playing Smart changelabsolutions.org | kaboom.org 23 Greenbelt, Maryland Population 21,456 Development pattern High-density small city Population density 3,586 per square mile Median household income $46,328 Partners involved Two homeowners’ associations One homeowners’ cooperative (similar to an HOA) City of Greenbelt Greenbelt was the first U.S. federal housing project. It was designed in 1935 as a complete city, with businesses, schools, roads, and recreational facilities, and built as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Emergency Relief Appropriation Act. The original plan emphasized a pedestrian-friendly downtown, along with playgrounds, ball fields, and open space, most of which still exists. From its inception, Greenbelt has valued civic engagement. The first families to live in Greenbelt were chosen based on income criteria as well as a demonstrated willingness to participate in the life of the community. In 1953, when the federal government turned over the housing portion of the town to the citizens, Greenbelt formed a housing cooperative and continued to function collaboratively, forming a cooperative baby-sitting pool, nursery school, and kindergarten. With the privatization of Greenbelt’s homes, some of the playgrounds became city property while others became the property of new homeowners and the housing cooperative. There were a number of small separate playgrounds that overlapped both city and housing co-op property lines. In the 1980s, the city and the housing cooperative, now named Greenbelt Homes Inc. (GHI), formalized a joint use agreement for playgrounds. Previous understandings regarding playground ownership lines and maintenance responsibility between the city and GHI had been informal. As part of this joint use agreement, the city agreed to be responsible for playground maintenance, and GHI took responsibility for mowing grass and trash removal. In exchange for the city providing maintenance, playgrounds were opened to the broader public from dawn until dusk. The city gradually added new construction and additional homeowners’ associations (HOAs). By 2000, HOAs owned 25 of the 66 playgrounds in Greenbelt. When the city began discussing a plan to renovate existing playgrounds within GHI – but not within other HOAs – the new HOAs argued that GHI should not get preferential treatment. The city soon agreed to create joint use agreements with all HOAs in Greenbelt. The result has been a significant increase in both the quality of and access to play space in the city.
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