How Baltimore's Mayor Is Fighting the City's Vacant Housing Crisis
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In this episode of Odd Lots, hosts Tracey Alloway and Joe Weisenthal speak with Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott at the Bloomberg City Lab conference in Madrid, exploring how the city is tackling its long-standing vacant housing crisis. Scott, who grew up in Baltimore and witnessed the effects of redlining, deindustrialization, and population decline firsthand, outlines a comprehensive, 15-year strategy that unites city, state, private, and community stakeholders. The strategy has reduced vacant properties from 16,000 to 11,806 during his tenure, using block-by-block planning, strategic investments, and innovative financing tools like TIF (Tax Increment Financing) applied to non-contiguous areas—something previously thought impossible. A key driver of success has been a 60% drop in violent crime, achieved through data-driven violence prevention, community intervention, and targeted gun enforcement, not mass arrests. This safety improvement has become a critical tailwind for attracting private capital and developers. Scott emphasizes affordability and equity, using programs like 'Buy Back the Block' to help long-term residents become homeowners and ensuring new developments reflect neighborhood aesthetics and mixed-income needs. The conversation also touches on Baltimore’s emerging tech economy, fueled by proximity to DC, Fort Meade, and world-class institutions like Johns Hopkins and the University of Maryland, positioning the city as a competitive hub for innovation and growth. The episode underscores that housing crises are not one-size-fits-all—Baltimore’s challenge is deeply rooted in historical disinvestment and racial policy, requiring more than just capital or zoning changes. Success hinges on coordinated governance, data transparency, and community trust. The hosts reflect on how crime reduction is a non-negotiable precondition for urban revitalization, and how incentives matter: when police are rewarded for arrests, crime prevention fails. They also highlight the cultural renaissance in Baltimore, from the Walters Art Museum’s Black Panther exhibit to the free Artscape Festival, showing that economic recovery is intertwined with cultural pride. Ultimately, the episode presents a model of urban renewal that blends data, equity, and long-term vision—proving that even cities with deep structural challenges can transform when leadership, strategy, and community are aligned.
Baltimore’s vacant housing crisis is rooted in historical redlining and deindustrialization, not just population decline.
A 15-year, city-wide strategy involving state, private, and community partners has reduced vacant homes from 16,000 to 11,806.
Innovative use of TIF financing on non-contiguous blocks has unlocked $380M in developer applications for affordable housing.
A 60% drop in violent crime—achieved through data-driven violence prevention, not mass arrests—has become a key catalyst for investment.
Affordability is prioritized through programs like 'Buy Back the Block,' helping long-term residents become homeowners.
…and 3 more takeaways available in PodZeus
Introduction: The Global Urban Crisis and Baltimore's Unique Challenge
The episode opens with a brief intro to Bloomberg City Lab in Madrid, setting the stage for a global conversation on urban challenges. The hosts introduce Baltimore’s vacant housing crisis as a case study in how housing issues vary by city, shaped by history, policy, and community.
Mayor Scott’s Personal Connection to Baltimore’s Vacancy Crisis
“I grew up on a block with a vacant house that my dad made me and my brothers cut the grass at every single time because he said by the time the city gets around to cutting it for the owner, it's going to be a foot high.”
The 15-Year Strategy: Unity, Capital, and Block-by-Block Planning
“We are coming up with this strategy that we, as in Baltimore, as a community, not just city government, not just private, not just philanthropic, not just the residents. We are going to end this crisis for good over the next 15 years.”
How Vacant Homes Become Vacant: A Multifaceted Crisis
Scott explains the complex causes behind vacant housing: population decline, job loss (e.g., GM, Bethlehem), deaths of elderly homeowners, speculative holding, and the legacy of redlining. He notes that most vacant homes are privately owned, not city-owned.
Balancing Capital and Equity: Preventing Gentrification
“We're very intentional about understanding that we do want people to come from all over. But we also... want the folks that had stayed in Baltimore and lived through all this can benefit from it as well.”
“We are coming up with this strategy that we, as in Baltimore, as a community, not just city government, not just private, not just philanthropic, not just the residents. We are going to end this crisis for good over the next 15 years.”
“We reduced homicides in the city by 15% from one year to the next... people literally laughed because they thought that was ridiculous.”
“We put out in our first round $28 million worth of TIF financing. We got $380 million worth of applications.”
Hosts
Guest
Baltimore
place
Brandon Scott
person
Redlining
other
TIF
other
Johns Hopkins University
other
The Wire
other
University of Maryland
other
Port of Baltimore
other
Walters Art Museum
other
Bloomberg City Lab
other
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