Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Announces Inaugural Meeting of Baltimore Vacants Reinvestment Council
NEW CARROLLTON, MD — The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development today announced the inaugural meeting of the Baltimore Vacants Reinvestment Council, marking a significant milestone in the state’s commitment to addressing vacancy in Baltimore City. The council will tap key community, corporate, philanthropic and government leaders to leverage targeted investments to move at least 5,000 vacant properties into homeownership or other positive outcomes over the next five years.
“Through coordination with our local, nonprofit and General Assembly partners, the inaugural meeting of the Baltimore Vacants Reinvestment Council begins a new chapter in our efforts to address vacancy in Baltimore City,” said Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day. “Baltimoreans deserve to live in safe, healthy homes in thriving, lovable neighborhoods. The burdens of vacant buildings will never be cut down if we plan and execute without the community, philanthropy, private enterprise, and the state at the table.”
Established in an October 1 executive order signed by Governor Wes Moore, the Baltimore Vacants Reinvestment Council is part of the Reinvest Baltimore initiative, a coordinated effort between the State of Maryland, Baltimore City, and nonprofit and for-profit partners to eliminate concentrations of vacant properties, revitalize neighborhoods and maximize the economic potential and quality of life for residents in Baltimore City.
The inaugural meeting of the council will review the council’s purpose and discuss shared values, goals of the Reinvest Baltimore initiative and current challenges faced in addressing vacancy in Baltimore City.
Sec. Day will serve as council chair and Baltimore City Housing Commissioner Alice Kennedy will serve as vice chair. Governor Moore appointed additional council members, including Leslie McMillan, co-chair of Baltimoreans United in Leadership Development, and Mark Anthony Thomas, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Baltimore Committee.
The council also includes Senator Cory McCray, appointed by Senate President Bill Ferguson; Delegate Stephanie Smith, appointed by Speaker of the House of Delegates Adrienne Jones; and Baltimore City Councilmember John Bullock, appointed by Baltimore City Council President Nick Mosby.
“It is an honor to serve as vice chair of the Baltimore Vacants Reinvestment Council,” said Baltimore City Housing Commissioner Alice Kennedy. “The state’s commitment to reducing vacant properties and fostering neighborhood renewal will be crucial in mobilizing the investments needed to tackle the crisis of abandoned buildings in our city on a larger scale. I look forward to collaborating with all our dedicated partners in this important work.”
The creation of the Baltimore Vacants Reinvestment Council comes at a pivotal time for Maryland, as the state addresses housing affordability and community investment through comprehensive legislative measures championed by Governor Moore during the 2024 legislative session. The efforts, supported by a $361 million capital budget allocation, underscore Maryland’s commitment to addressing the state’s housing crisis.
The meeting is scheduled for Thursday, November 7, at 10:00 a.m., and will be held at Humanim (1701 N. Gay St., Baltimore, MD, 21213). The meeting is open to the public. For more information on how to view the meeting virtually, visit the Reinvest Baltimore webpage.