BUILD — the acronym for the influential community action organization known as Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development — has published a report that proposes new ways to change the trajectory of our city, which is losing population quickly, and whose huge stock of vacant houses remains a fundamental problem.
The actual number of vacant houses in Baltimore City is difficult to quantify, but many estimates put it at around 15,000 properties. Over the past 20-plus years, Baltimore has lost nearly that many homeowners, including 5,000 Black homeowners.
What will stem the tide of people leaving our city, and what can be done to refurbish or remove the blighted properties that enshrine poverty in some of our most economically disadvantaged communities?
Tom Hall's guests today will discuss BUILD's comprehensive strategy to address these challenges. Their strategy is not inexpensive. But it’s a moral and economic imperative that these problems be solved, and the report that BUILD has issued reflects a deep understanding of what the problems are, and how they can best be addressed. It’s called Whole Blocks, Whole City: Reclaiming Vacant Property Throughout Baltimore.
The Rev. George Hopkins is aclergy co-chair of BUILD.
Rev. Andrew Connors is the pastor of Brown Memorial Park Avenue Presbyterian Church and a member of the BUILD strategy team.
You can join the conversation: Call 410.662.8780 Email: [email protected] Or tweet us: @MiddayWYPR
