Odd Lots How Baltimore's Mayor Is Fighting the City's Vacant Housing Crisis
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May 4, 2026 
Brandon Scott, Baltimore’s mayor since 2020, joins for a brisk look at the city’s vacant housing fight. He gets into redlining, deindustrialization, absentee owners, and why redevelopment happens block by block. There’s also talk of affordable housing finance, falling violence, investor confidence, AI in city permitting, and why locals have mixed feelings about The Wire.
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Why Baltimore Natives Are Tired Of The Wire
- Scott says Baltimore residents mainly see The Wire as a curse because outsiders mistake it for the whole city.
- He contrasts Baltimore’s limited TV image with New York having Seinfeld and Friends alongside crime dramas.
Baltimore Repurposed TIF For Scattered Affordable Housing
- Scott says the city decides upfront which structures to demolish, renovate, or convert to park space through block-level planning.
- Baltimore also used tax increment financing for scattered affordable-housing sites and drew $380 million in applications for $28 million offered.
Neighborhood Fit And Vacancy Taxes Work Together
- Scott says new housing must fit neighborhood aesthetics and include mixed-income options rather than only luxury or only subsidized units.
- Baltimore also won state approval to tax vacant properties at higher rates, framing them as a fiscal drain.