Mayor Scott pledges $100 million to equity initiatives – CBS Baltimore

BALTIMORE (WJZ) – Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott is scheduled to appear in public on Friday to pledge $100 million in federal funding for housing initiatives aimed at helping the city’s residents and families.

Scott will join other officials for an 11 a.m. news conference where they will also provide an update on a citywide assessment of vacant buildings, ordered in response to the collapse. An empty row of houses killed three firefighters.

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At the end of January, the mayor gave city departments 30 days to examine what they were doing to reduce the number of vacant buildings citywide and submit their results to chief administrator Chris. Shorter.

Scott’s order came after a deadly fire and building collapse on January 24 killed three of Baltimore’s bravest—Lt. Paul Butrim, Lieutenant Kelsey Sadler and firefighter Kenny Lacayo — and injured another.

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There are about 15,000 vacant homes across Baltimore, the majority of which are privately owned, according to city data. About a third of properties are being restored, redeveloped or prepared for demolition or sale.

Among the options on the table to reduce the number of vacancies are admission, or the legal process by which the city and takes control of property from offending owners.

As of January, the city’s housing and community development department is processing nearly 500 admissions by 2022, but according to the initiative, the goal is to significantly increase that number.

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At the time, Scott said the city would use its portion of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to help manage vacant housing and dying real estate in its neighborhoods. city.