At Gold Street Park Wednesday, standing in front of a recently renovated block of rowhomes with still-vacant rowhomes in the distance — their windows covered by plywood and doors blocked off by chain-link fencing — city, state and local leaders gathered to share a message of hope for Baltimore City’s vacant homes: We can fix this.
Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, Maryland Comptroller Brooke Lierman and state Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day announced Wednesday that applications had opened for a $50 million state grants initiative that they hope will ultimately end the existence of vacant homes in the city, and improve neighborhoods, the city and even the state.
Through this funding source, state and city officials hope they can draw new residents to the city, and turn renters into homeowners.
The program joins a long line of efforts that preceded it and failed to make a difference on a large scale.
Click here to read the rest of the article written by Kate Cimini over at The Baltimore Sun
