Depending on who you are talking to, the definition of neighborhood takes on different meanings. Generally, for a city, the defining boundary of a specific area allows for structure. Considering Baltimore has over 200 neighborhoods, those structural boundaries provide elected officials, service departments, the school board, police, fire and rescue and other entities a means in which to plan and allocate funding and services based on needs.

Residents and community groups define a neighborhood as something quite different. Baltimore is rich in history and filled with stories that make our neighborhoods personal. Our city’s neighborhoods are the core of the community. We know that generations of families have lived in specific parts of the city, defining each neighborhood’s personality, protecting its identity, and building and improving it over time.

For those who are new to the area and are considering the city as a living option, neighborhood definitions become a list of needs and wants. Their ultimate decision can be life altering and therefore, many take their time in deciding what environment works best for their situation. Is it close to work? Will they find friendship? Can they raise a family? Is it safe, convenient to transportation, affordable? For some, green space is particularly important. For others, being able to walk to restaurants, entertainment, and other life conveniences are key.

I am proud that Baltimore is a Welcoming City and becoming more so every day.

Building Baltimore by 10,000 families has been a focus of my administration. Attracting new families and those who left the city to come back is something I work on every day. Over the past 5 years several programs have been implemented to support this goal and we are starting to see movement in the right direction. Of course, I could not have done this alone.

We realized early on that we couldn’t just leave the recovery of our neighborhoods up to the market. We needed to use the tools available to us and develop more in order to build the environments we needed and wanted. And by acting quickly, breaking down silos, and being thoughtful about the development programs, we put ourselves in a better position to rebuild the city.

When faced with the overwhelming number of vacant, abandoned and dilapidated buildings in the city, food deserts, and neighborhoods lacking incentives, I knew an aggressive plan needed to be put in place – and that plan needed to involve every agency, community group, and economic resource available.

Our collective efforts are making strides in building healthy, sustainable communities. By working with our Federal and State partners our strategies to overcome development barriers are proving to be effective. It is this combined leadership that is shaping our city, diversifying our neighborhoods, and bringing vibrancy back to Baltimore.  

Links to financial incentives for home buyers: 

http://livebaltimore.com/financial-incentives/

http://www.baltimorehousing.org/vtov_incentives

http://www.southeastcdc.org/incentives-in-southeast-baltimore/

http://www.mdhomeprograms.com/program/programdetail.php?id=150

Link to Vacants to Value home buyer program: http://www.vacantstovalue.org/homebuyers.aspx