Acquisition Strategy & In Rem Filings For the purpose of: calling relevant City Agencies and Representatives, as well as 3rd party stakeholders to review and discuss the City’s policies around and implementation of the City’s strategy to acquire vacant property and conduct In Rem Filings.

Summary

The Baltimore City Council's Housing & Economic Development Committee is reviewing the City's strategy for acquiring vacant properties and conducting "In Rem" filings. Baltimore City currently faces a challenge with 12,378 vacant building notices (VBNs) as of October 2025, a 5% reduction from earlier in the year, with concentrations in historically disinvested areas like District 9 (4,391 VBNs) and District 7 (2,027 VBNs).

Key Strategies & Funding:

• The "Reinvest Baltimore Initiative" aims to move 5,000 vacant properties into productive use within five years, as part of a larger $3 billion, 15-year plan to address 37,500 vacant/at-risk properties by 2039.
• The City primarily acquires properties through Judicial In Rem Foreclosure, accounting for 156 of 191 total acquisitions in FY2026 so far, where liens exceed assessed value.
• The Baltimore Vacants Reinvestment Initiative (BVRI) has awarded $100 million in state funds for FY25 and FY26, impacting over 2,000 vacant properties, supported by a $1.5 million philanthropic "BVRI Support Fund" for community development organizations (CDOs).
• Overall funding includes $900 million from the State, $300 million from Baltimore City (including $150 million from Affordable Housing TIF and $150 million from Industrial Development Authority), and $300 million from private/philanthropic sources, with $1.5 billion more to be raised.

Challenges & Recommendations:

• The committee discussed staffing capacity, with 13 filing attorneys handling 6-8 cases per month (taking ~6 months per case), and the impact of delayed FY25 BVRI funding, which set the city back a year.
• Recommendations include expediting lien removal, clarifying In Rem prioritization, and exploring third-party mailing services. A heat map of assessed values around In Rem eligible properties was requested. The goal is to measure progress on priority blocks and track outcomes like increased property/income tax revenue, property values, and homeownership rates.

Citizen Impact

This strategy directly addresses vacant and unsafe properties in Baltimore neighborhoods, aiming to improve public safety and reduce nuisances. It seeks to increase homeownership opportunities and property values, particularly in historically disinvested areas, fostering generational wealth and revitalizing communities.

Confidence

high