Baltimore City Mayor Brandon Scott plans to announce the Housing Options and Opportunity Act Monday morning, according to a statement.
While the Mayor has not yet shared details about the measure, it likely complements a recent push to encourage individuals and families to purchase homes in Baltimore.
In 2023, Scott passed Baltimore’s Tenant’s Right of First Refusal law, which gives renters the first opportunity to purchase a home they have been renting if their landlord decides to sell.
More recently, the city hit the $750,000 benchmark in distributing grants to first-time home buyers in the city through Baltimore’s Buy Back the Block program.
Along with encouraging homeownership, Baltimore City leaders have also been working to tackle the crisis of vacant homes.
Bmore F.A.S.T. program aims to speed up property development process
Announced in March, the Bmore F.A.S.T. (Facilitating Approvals and Streamlining Timelines) program involves a $3 million investment aimed at making the property development process more efficient.
The plan would establish a new Director of Permitting and Development Services position within the mayor’s office, which will work across agencies to eliminate bottlenecks in the development process.
It will also add a new e-permits platform and self-certification options for qualified professionals,
For developers, the plan includes a new e-permits platform, self-certification options for qualified professionals, simplified developer agreements for public right-of-way work, and a utility coordination program to align with major service providers.
Where does Baltimore’s vacant crisis stand now?
Baltimore City has nearly 13,000 vacant homes, which the city plans to rehabilitate over the next 15 years.
Vacant homes have presented dangerous circumstances for Baltimore, including a fire on Stricker Street in 2022, that left three firefighters dead.
In March, a fire tore through 15 homes on North Fulton Avenue.