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Kenneth Holt

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Kenneth Holt
Holt in 2019
Maryland Secretary of Housing and Community Development
In office
March 13, 2015 – December 31, 2022
Acting: January 21, 2015 – March 13, 2015
GovernorLarry Hogan
Preceded byClarence J. Snuggs (acting)
Succeeded byOwen P. McEvoy (acting)
Jake Day
Member of the Maryland House of Delegates
from the 6th district
In office
January 11, 1995 – January 13, 1999
Serving with Diane DeCarlo and Michael H. Weir
Preceded byE. Farrell Maddox
Succeeded byNancy Hubers
Personal details
Born (1951-06-15) June 15, 1951 (age 73)
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Children2
EducationUniversity of Maryland, College Park (BA)

Kenneth C. Holt (born June 15, 1951) is an American politician who served as the Secretary of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development from 2015 to 2023. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from 1995 to 1999 representing District 6, which included parts of Baltimore and Harford counties.

Early life and education[edit]

Holt was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, on June 15, 1951.[1] He came to Maryland to attend the University of Maryland, College Park, receiving his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1974. While attending UMBC, Holt worked as a busser at the Laurel Park racetrack and on his grandfather's farm, Mount Peru, in Baltimore County. Holt inherited his grandfather's estate after two drifters broke in and killed his grandfather in 1986; he still lives at Mount Peru, where he raises thoroughbred horses.[2]

Political career[edit]

Holt became interested in politics during his early years, embracing fiscal conservatism and the Republican Party but also expressing fascination with the Kennedy family and Martin Luther King Jr. He became more involved with politics after his grandfather's death in 1986,[2] serving as a member of the Baltimore County Human Relations Board from 1988 to 1994 and as the president of the Baltimore County Police Foundation from 1992 to 1994.[1]

Maryland House of Delegates[edit]

Holt was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1994, and was sworn in on January 11, 1995. During his tenure, he was a member of the Appropriations Committee, including its education and economic development subcommittee, and the Joint Audit Committee.[1] He supported an unrealized proposal to build a NASCAR speedway in eastern Baltimore County[3] and was a member of the Task Force on NASCAR Motor Sports from 1996 to 1997.[1]

Holt was considered a rising star within the Maryland Republican Party.[4] He unsuccessfully ran for the Maryland Senate in 1998,[5][6] losing to incumbent Democratic state senator Michael J. Collins in the general election with 44.8 percent of the vote.[7]

Post-legislative career[edit]

Holt stayed out of local politics following his defeat in the 1998 Maryland Senate election, focusing instead on his farm and working in the private sector as a financial advisor.[8] He worked as a policy advisor within the administration of Maryland Governor Bob Ehrlich, where he helped develop proposals for slot machines and horse racing in the state,[2] and served on the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System's Board of Trustees from 2003 to 2007.[1]

On April 14, 2010, Holt announced that he would run for Baltimore County Executive in 2010, seeking to succeed Democratic county executive James T. Smith Jr., who was term-limited.[9] He ran unopposed in the primary election[10] and ran on a platform involving fiscal issues.[8][11] Holt was defeated by county councilmember Kevin Kamenetz in the general election.[12]

Maryland Secretary of Housing[edit]

In December 2014, Holt was named to serve on the transition team of Governor-elect Larry Hogan.[13] Hogan named Holt to serve as Secretary of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development in January 2015.[14] He was unanimously confirmed by the Maryland Senate on March 6, 2015,[15] and sworn in on March 13.[1]

In this position, Holt supported efforts to increase Maryland's affordable housing and home ownership rates, improve small business outreach,[16] and provide funding for revitalizing urban areas,[17] including in Baltimore through Project C.O.R.E.[18][19][20] He also oversaw the launch of the SmartBuy program, which helped prospective new homebuyers purchase a house while paying off their student debt.[21]

Holt at the Maryland Association of Counties summer conference with Governor Hogan, 2019

During the Maryland Association of Counties' summer conference in August 2015, Holt expressed support for loosening the state's lead paint poisoning laws, alleging that mothers were making their children put lead fishing weights in their mouth to make landlords liable to provide the child with free housing until they turn eighteen years old. When asked afterwards to provide evidence of this happening, Holt said that it was an anecdotal story told to him by a developer and that he had no evidence of this happening.[22] A spokesperson for Governor Hogan said that he expressed his disappointment with Holt's "unfortunate and inappropriate comment" during a "lengthy and very direct conversation" afterwards, and multiple Democratic lawmakers signed onto a letter calling on Hogan to remove Holt from office; Hogan declined to do so.[23] Holt apologized for his remarks the following day.[24]

Personal life[edit]

Holt is married has two children,[1] including a daughter that he adopted while traveling with his wife to Russia to provide orphans with clothing and supplies following his defeat in the 1998 Maryland Senate election.[2]

Electoral history[edit]

Maryland House of Delegates District 6 Republican primary election, 1994[25]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kenneth C. Holt 2,029 23.4
Republican Michael J. Davis 1,545 17.8
Republican Nancy Hastings 1,514 17.5
Republican Stephen Xintas 1,143 13.2
Republican Robert Chaney 776 9.0
Republican Thomas J. Kuegler Jr. 702 8.1
Republican L. Keith Roberts 512 5.9
Republican Bruce A. Laing 436 5.0
Maryland House of Delegates District 6 general election, 1994[26]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kenneth C. Holt 11,699 17.6
Democratic Diane DeCarlo 11,445 17.2
Democratic Michael H. Weir (incumbent) 11,254 16.9
Democratic E. Farrell Maddox (incumbent) 11,135 16.8
Republican Nancy Hastings 11,046 16.6
Republican Michael J. Davis 9,857 14.8
Maryland Senate District 6 Republican primary election, 1998[27]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kenneth C. Holt 2,946 100.0
Maryland Senate District 6 general election, 1998[28]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Michael J. Collins (incumbent) 14,151 55.2
Republican Kenneth C. Holt 11,463 44.8
Baltimore County Executive Republican primary election, 2010[29]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kenneth C. Holt 29,413 100.0
Baltimore County Executive general election, 2010[30]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Kevin Kamenetz 148,659 53.7
Republican Kenneth C. Holt 127,882 46.2
Write-in 417 0.2

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "Kenneth C. Holt, Maryland Secretary of Housing & Community Development". Maryland Manual On-Line. Maryland State Archives. January 31, 2023. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d Hicks, Josh (September 1, 2015). "A look at Kenneth Holt, Maryland's embattled housing secretary". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  3. ^ "Raceway proposal defeated by reality Planners of track didn't understand development process". The Baltimore Sun. January 11, 1998. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  4. ^ Babington, Charles; LeDuc, Daniel (January 6, 1998). "In Md., a rising GOP". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  5. ^ "GOP presents challenge in district Democratic 6th still independent in electoral choices". The Baltimore Sun. October 12, 1998. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  6. ^ Babington, Charles; Goodman, Peter S. (July 30, 1998). "Making ethics actions an issue". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  7. ^ "County influence remains solid Election results unlikely to affect standing in Annapolis; Strength won't wane; Collins tops Holt, ending Senate race marred by tricks". The Baltimore Sun. November 4, 1998. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Republican former Del. Ken Holt enters Baltimore County executive race". The Baltimore Sun. April 14, 2010. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  9. ^ Hare, Mary Gail (April 14, 2010). "Holt announces run for Baltimore County executive". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  10. ^ Hare, Mary Gail (June 14, 2010). "Holt enters Baltimore County executive race". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  11. ^ Hirsch, Arthur (October 30, 2010). "GOP says Balto. Co. spends too much; Democrats argue fiscal health is strong". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  12. ^ Hirsch, Arthur; Hill, Raven L. (November 3, 2010). "Kamenetz defeats Holt in Balto. Co. exec race". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  13. ^ "Gov.-elect Larry Hogan completes transition team". WBAL-TV. December 2, 2014. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  14. ^ Wagner, John (January 8, 2015). "Hogan names his picks for business secretary, three other Cabinet posts". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  15. ^ Johnson, Jenna (March 6, 2015). "Maryland Senate confirms Pete Rahn as transportation secretary". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  16. ^ Oribio, Erick (August 17, 2018). "Interview with: Kenneth Holt, Secretary of Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development". Latin Opinion Baltimore. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  17. ^ Zumer, Bryna (September 26, 2016). "State wants Aberdeen's B & O Station to be moved to Festival Park area". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  18. ^ Wenger, Yvonne (March 13, 2019). "Baltimore mayor takes an excavator to kick off the demolition of block of vacant homes in Druid Heights". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  19. ^ Wenger, Yvonne (April 30, 2019). "City announces $10 million redevelopment of vacant rowhouses in West Baltimore neighborhood of Upton". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  20. ^ Bologna, Giacomo (August 26, 2022). "It was called 'murder mall.' Now, 120 new town homes are coming to West Baltimore". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  21. ^ Anderson, David (November 21, 2016). "Harford couple pays off student debt, purchases new home through Maryland's SmartBuy program". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  22. ^ Dresser, Michael; Wheeler, Timothy B. (August 14, 2015). "Housing chief suggests mothers may deliberately expose children to lead". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  23. ^ Wiggins, Ovetta (August 17, 2015). "Maryland delegates call for top housing official's resignation". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  24. ^ Wiggins, Ovetta (August 15, 2015). "Maryland official issues apology for remark about lead poisoning and kids". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 6, 2024.
  25. ^ "1994 Gubernatorial Primary Election Results". elections.maryland.gov. Maryland State Board of Elections. February 6, 2001. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  26. ^ "1994 Gubernatorial General Election Results". elections.maryland.gov. Maryland State Board of Elections. February 6, 2001. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  27. ^ "1998 Gubernatorial Primary Election Results". elections.maryland.gov. Maryland State Board of Elections. October 24, 2000. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  28. ^ "1998 Gubernatorial General Election Results". elections.maryland.gov. Maryland State Board of Elections. October 24, 2000. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  29. ^ "Official 2010 Gubernatorial Primary Election results for Baltimore County". elections.maryland.gov. Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  30. ^ "Official 2010 Gubernatorial General Election results for Baltimore County". elections.maryland.gov. Maryland State Board of Elections. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
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