Vacant Baltimore City Block Demolished

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and Baltimore Housing Commissioner Paul T. Graziano joined Councilman William "Pete" Welch, community leaders and Shipley-Hill residents had a front row seat for a Vacants to Value demolition of the 2400 block of Lombard Street in Baltimore. Baltimore Housing worked with community leaders to tear down this long-blighted block, and begin to stabilize the otherwise solid community. Launched in November of 2010, Mayor Rawlings-Blake's Vacants to Value initiative seeks to encourage reinvestment in neighborhoods impacted by blighted properties by strengthening code enforcement, promoting rehabilitation; streamlining the sale of vacant city property, and, by providing new, targeted incentives for homebuyers and developers who invest in vacant homes. Video shot and produced by WBAL's Scott Wykoff (November 2, 2012)