County Council Approves Terry Hickey as County’s First Director of Housing and Community Development

The Baltimore County Council voted unanimously today to approve Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski’s nomination of Terry Hickey to serve as Baltimore County’s first Director of Housing and Community Development (DHCD).
 
In May, Olszewski signed legislation creating the County’s first dedicated Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). Hickey previously served as Deputy Director of Housing and Community Development within the Department of Health and Human Services, prior to the creation of the new department.
 
“Terry Hickey is a phenomenal civil servant, who has worked tirelessly across our region to ensure residents have secure housing and safe communities,” Olszewski said. “As we continue rebuilding our communities in the wake of the pandemic, we will need experienced and innovative leaders like Terry to ensure a strong economic recovery. I look forward to working with him to continue building stronger communities across Baltimore County.”
 
Since January 2020, Hickey has served as Deputy Director of Housing for the Department of Health and Human Services, where has spent the majority of his tenure responding to the housing crisis caused by the pandemic and has helped secure millions of dollars in grant funding for rent relief, mortgage assistance, and temporary housing aid.
 
Under Hickey’s leadership, the County’s eviction prevention programs have provided millions of dollars to help over 1,500 families stay in their homes during the pandemic. In addition, Hickey helped develop the STEP pilot program, an innovative eviction prevention program that utilizes data to focus assistance on the County’s most vulnerable households. Baltimore’s County STEP program recently earned a national award for innovation and has been identified as a statewide model.
 
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead this new department and continue serving the people of Baltimore County,” Hickey said. “I look forward to continuing our innovative work to prevent evictions, ensure access to affordable housing, and build stronger neighborhoods for all of our residents.”
 
Prior to joining Baltimore County government, Hickey served as Director of the Baltimore City Mayor’s Office of Human Services, overseeing Homeless Services and programs like Head Start. Additionally, he founded the non-profit Community Law in Action and served as president of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Chesapeake. He holds a bachelor’s degree in History and Political Science from the University of Rochester and Juris Doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Law.