Maryland Governor Larry Hogan to announce $700M plan to target Baltimore urban decay

[qwlauren35]

Source: Baltimore Sun

By Luke Broadwater
[e-mail]
@lukebroadwater

January 5, 2016, 2:00 PM

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake today in West Baltimore are announcing a nearly $700 million plan to tear down thousands of vacant properties in the city and offer large subsidies for development in blighted neighborhoods.

In Sandtown-Winchester, where Freddie Gray grew up, the governor and leader of Maryland's largest city are pledging $94 million toward demolishing vacant properties city-wide over the next four years and replacing them with potential developments spurred by $600 million in state subsidies.
....

The state estimates 20 blocks will be demolished in the first year. In recent years, Baltimore spent a little more than $2 million a year on demolition, but in 2013 Rawlings-Blake, a Democrat, announced she would increase funding to about $10 million a year.
....

Baltimore Sun reporter Michael Dresser contributed to this article.

Read more: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/baltimore-city/west-baltimore/bs-md-ci-hogan-demolition-20160105-story.html

[qwlauren35]

1. Gentrification?

It's vacant properties, so it should be good, as long as property taxes don't go up to the point where it pushes the working poor out of their homes.

It's a delicate balance.