Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Outer Harbor Initiative?
It's a resolution being proposed to Baltimore City Council to direct more resources to housing code enforcement activities, to clean up abandoned buildings, or to acquire them for rehabbing and sale to new owners. It will also dedicate resources to help attract new residents.
Why is this initiative being proposed?
Baltimore has an estimated 17 thousand abandoned rowhouses and 13 thousand vacant lots — hundreds of blocks where the majority of houses are neglected. We lose more of our city to blight, block by block, year by year. And efforts at rehabilitating properties are prohibited by absentee land owners who sit on vacant properties indefinitely in the hopes of making a profit. Often one landlord will own dozens of such properties, and not even live in Baltimore City. The Outer Harbor Initiative begins to provide the tools to take these properties out of the hands of negligent landowners and get them into the hands of residents and entrepreneurs who will make a financial and social investment in our communities.
Are all of these abandoned houses that much of a problem?
Abandoned houses attract drug dealing, illegal dumping, rats, squatters, substance abuse and other crimes and unsanitary conditions. They drive out residents, lower property values and drive up taxes for the rest of us who stay in Baltimore Ciy. They send our children a message that no one cares. And a recent study, conducted by researchers from Harvard and Suffolk University, has confirmed the "broken window theory"—that blight sends a message to criminals that no one in the neighborhood is in charge, making it "open for business". Neighborhoods cannot be safe or stable until abandoned housing is addressed effectively.
Where does the name "Outer Harbor Initiative" come from?
Baltimore's Inner Harbor was for years blighted and dilapidated, a drain on the city and its tax base. But smart reinvestment and planning in the 1970s and 80s dramatically turned around that area and made it a draw for new business, residents, and capital. Now it's time to turn our attention to the ring of surrounding neighborhoods—the "Outer Harbor". With a strategic plan of effective housing code enforcement; cooperation between residents, neighborhood organizations and developers; and a renewed investment in those communities, these neighborhoods can rebound and become safe and desirable places to live for all Baltimoreans.
What's the difference between this and what the city already does?
The city currently has a mostly reactive approach to abandoned housing, often jumping from problem to problem without a larger strategy. The Outer Harbor Initiative is a more proactive, holistic approach that directs more money and resources to housing code enforcement activities, while bringing together residents, developers, non-profits and neighborhood organizations to reclaim and repopulate neighborhoods.
What parts of the city stand to benefit from this proposal?
Brooklyn-Curtis Bay, Cherry Hill, McElderry Park, Mount Winans, Patterson Park, Washington Village/Pigtown, and Westport are all among neighborhoods that could see positive benefits from this initiative
Who is behind this proposal?
The Outer Harbor Initiative was developed by Chesapeake Habitat for Humanity and is being sponsored by Councilman William Cole (11th District).
Can I see a copy of the proposal itself?
Yes, you may download a PDF file of the resolution that is under consideration by City Council.
What can I do to support this proposal?
Contact your city councilperson and tell them you support the Outer Harbor Initiative resolution. Tell your neighbors about it. Sign up, using this website, to get regular updates on the status of the resolution. There will be community meetings this Spring and Summer to further discuss the proposal.
