The City Council finds that:there live within the City of Baltimore persons and families who subsist in conditions of abject poverty; there are concentrations of such persons and families in certain deteriorated neighborhoods within the City; illiteracy, illegitimacy, crime, juvenile delinquency, ill health, and other symptoms of social breakdown all result from or are coincidental with such poverty and are rampant in said neighborhoods; many of said impoverished persons and families are dependent upon public subsidy for their subsistence; and many of the services available to help them attain a state of economic self-sufficiency and social productivity either are not being utilized by them or are being inappropriately utilized in uncoordinated, piecemeal fashion. The City Council further finds that:to eliminate the causes of poverty and the problems attendant upon it, it is imperative for the City of Baltimore to engage in a total program of concerted community action which will harness and synchronize its resources for remedial education, job training, health care, environmental improvement, social and physical rehabilitation, and training in home management and healthy family living; and such a program, to be effective, must attack the problem at its source, in the neighborhoods. City Code, 1976/83, art. 13, §33A Ord. 93-274 Ord. 22-124

There is hereby created the Human Services Division in the Department of Housing and Community Development. The Division shall have such powers and responsibilities as are granted to community action agencies under state law, and such other powers as are granted to it by law, ordinance, or resolution. There is hereby created the Human Services Commission, with membership as provided in this subtitle and with powers and responsibilities as may be determined by the Board of Estimates. The Commission shall be composed of 31 members:⅓ of the members shall be elected public officials selected by the Mayor to serve ex officio, or their representatives; at least ⅓ of the members shall be persons chosen by a democratic selection method as determined by the Mayor to assure that they are representative of the poor in the area served; the other members shall be officials or members of business, industry, labor, religious, welfare, education, or other major groups and interests in the community appointed by the Mayor pursuant to Article IV, § 6, of <cite data-doc="City of Baltimore, Md., Charter">the Baltimore City Charter</cite> (1964 Revision, as amended). If a vacancy occurs on the Commission, the vacancy shall be filled for the unexpired term in the same manner as the office was previously filled. The Commission members shall serve without compensation, but shall be reimbursed for all expenses necessarily incurred. Each member of the Commission shall serve for a term of 4 years, concurrent with the Mayor’s term of office, and until his or her successor is duly appointed and qualified. No member may serve more than 1 full term, more than 5 consecutive years, or more than a total of 10 years. Each member of the Commission shall be entitled to 1 vote. A majority of said Commission shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business or the exercise of any power in the performance of any duty authorized or imposed by this subtitle. The Mayor shall designate one appointed member of the Commission as its Chair, and the Commission shall elect a member as its Vice-Chair. City Code, 1976/83, art. 13, §33B Ord. 93-274 Ord. 99-526

The Mayor shall appoint an Executive Deputy Commissioner, who shall be the head of the Division. The Executive Deputy Commissioner shall serve for a period of 4 years and shall be appointed in the manner designated in <cite data-doc="City of Baltimore, Md., Charter" data-path="IV|§6">Article IV, § 6 of the Baltimore City Charter</cite> (1964 Revision, as amended). The Executive Deputy Commissioner shall have such duties as the Mayor shall impose upon the Executive Deputy Commissioner to execute the powers granted under this subtitle. Until such time as an Executive Deputy Commissioner is appointed as provided herein, the Mayor shall appoint an Interim Executive Deputy Commissioner who shall perform the duties of the office until the aforesaid appointment is made. The Executive Deputy Commissioner, when employing such other persons as may be required, shall comply with the provisions of <cite data-doc="City of Baltimore, Md., Charter">the Baltimore City Charter</cite> relating to Civil Service. Compensation of all persons so employed by the Division and all other necessary expenses shall be paid at such rates and in such amounts as the Board of Estimates shall approve and in accordance with the annual Ordinance of Estimates of the City of Baltimore. City Code, 1976/83, art. 13, §33C Ord. 93-274