Baltimore seeking investors to address vacant housing crisis

The city of Baltimore has about 12,000 vacant and abandoned houses and tens of thousands of vacant lots. Homes within 200 feet of a vacant property sell for 8 percent to 30 percent less than comparable homes, making vacancy a significant barrier to neighborhood revitalization. Now it is turning to private and institutional investors to supplement the $1.2 billion in public funding committed to reverse Baltimore’s vacant-housing crisis. To discuss the investment opportunity, Stephen Madsen, head of neighborhood investment at the Greater Baltimore Committee, joins the program. (10/2026)