Baltimore takes new steps to address vacant buildings

Baltimore is taking steps to address the issue of vacant properties in the city with a bill to make sure they aren't abandoned for too long.

The bill, discussed at Tuesday's Housing and Economic Development Committee Meeting, would give people an option to sell these properties back to the city.

The discussion comes just over a week after a five-alarm fire damaged three vacant buildings on West Fayette Street.

"This didn't need to happen because these buildings have been vacant for at least 20 years or more," Baltimore resident Roland Morton said. "Things could have been done years ago. It's up to the government and the city to put money down here."

Bill addresses vacant buildings

The vacant building fire on Sept. 2 on West Fayette Street was far from the first fire at an abandoned building in Baltimore, but some city councilmembers are stepping in hopes of making it the last.

The Housing and Economic Development Committee voted to move forward with a bill that would address the vast amount of vacant properties in the city.

"This goal is to make sure that vacant buildings don't stay abandoned and become a problem for our community," said Baltimore Councilman Paris Gray.

Councilman Gray, who sponsored the bill, explained that when a building is abandoned, it's up to the receiver to fix it up and get it ready for auction. But oftentimes, nobody wants to buy it.

"This bill says that if that happens, the receiver's allowed to offer the building for sale to the city government instead," Gray said. "So the city would have the option to buy it, but only at a price that would cover the receiver's costs for getting the property ready to be sold at auction and transferring ownership."

Public expresses concerns

The Department of Housing and Community Development, the Department of Finance, and the Law Department all spoke in favor of the bill.

However, there was some concern from the public.

"I know that I've looked at Ashland Auction, and they have after-auction sales, and it allows people to be able to purchase a house without having to give a tremendous amount of money upfront," Gray said.

A Baltimore resident said that passing this bill could cause someone to lose out on a home.

"We need more people to be able to find ways to purchase houses, however they can, and not for the city to steal that opportunity away," the resident said.

With little response to her concerns, the committee voted to move forward with the bill, which will be presented at the full Baltimore City Council meeting on Monday, Sept. 15.