Can Baltimore finally turn the corner on vacant homes? | The Excerpt

0 December 18, 2025 07:00

Baltimore has spent decades trying — and often failing — to solve one of its most stubborn problems: thousands of vacant homes hollowing out neighborhoods and fueling cycles of crime, poverty and disinvestment.

Now city leaders say the stars may finally be aligned. In pockets of Baltimore, new housing is going up, crime has fallen, and officials are rolling out the most ambitious revitalization effort in a generation. But not every neighborhood is seeing change, and residents in some areas say they’re still being asked to wait.

USA TODAY Housing Reporter Andrea Riquier joins The Excerpt to break down Baltimore’s “go hard, but intentional” strategy, the risks if private and philanthropic funding falls short, and what signs to watch in 2026 to know whether this renaissance is real — or could stall like past efforts. She also explains what Baltimore’s approach could mean for other cities struggling with urban blight.