BALTIMORE, MD—Governor Wes Moore has announced an executive order to establish Reinvest Baltimore, an initiative to address the city’s vacant property crisis.

The program will be a coordinated effort between the state, city, nonprofits, and for-profit partners, with the goal of revitalizing neighborhoods and maximizing economic potential and quality of life for residents.

“Baltimore’s vacant property crisis is an issue that cannot wait — because in order to have a strong state, you must have a strong housing market, where people own more than they owe,” said Governor Moore. “I want to thank all the partners who raised their hand to be a part of this work that will open paths to work, wages, and wealth for Baltimoreans and grow our state’s economy. The Baltimore Renaissance is here — and just getting started.”

The governor’s order calls for the establishment of the Baltimore Vacants Reinvestment Council, which will include community, corporate, philanthropic, and government leaders. The council will leverage targeted investments to move at least 5,000 vacant properties into homeownership or other positive outcomes over the next five years.

The council will coordinate state and local efforts to address vacancy in Baltimore City and provide timely and accurate information to the governor, including an annual report detailing progress, challenges, and recommendations.

Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day will serve as council chair and Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development Commissioner Alice Kennedy will serve as vice chair.

Rev. George Hopkins, co-chair of Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development, and Mark Anthony Thomas, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Baltimore Committee, were also appointed to the council.

“Today marks a pivotal moment for Baltimore and the State of Maryland as Governor Moore takes decisive action to end the crisis of vacant and abandoned housing in our city,” said Hopkins. “We know the work ahead of us will be difficult as we confront the legacies of redlining and disinvestment in Baltimore. But we have real hope because of the state’s historic investments during the last legislative session, because of its commitment to an unprecedented partnership that brings together state, city, community, and business leaders, and because of the collective emphasis on measurable results. This kind of bold leadership will be necessary to transform whole blocks, shrink the racial wealth gap, and build an equitable city that prioritizes community voices.”

As part of the Reinvest Baltimore initiative, the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s Project C.O.R.E. (Creating Opportunities for Revitalization and Equity) program will be refocused as the Baltimore Vacants Reinvestment Initiative. This initiative will be a community-driven approach to develop green space, create affordable and mixed-use housing, expand opportunities for small business owners, and generate jobs.

To support the efforts of Reinvest Baltimore, the governor’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget includes historic increases in funds to certain State Revitalization Programs administered by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, including the Baltimore Vacants Reinvestment Initiative and the Baltimore Regional Neighborhoods Initiative. The reinvestment initiative will receive a $50 million annual appropriation in the governor’s budget.

This article was written with the assistance of AI and reviewed by a human editor.

Photo via the Maryland Governor’s Office