Baltimore homeowner highlights challenges of fixing city's vacant homes crisis
Darryl Brown stands next to the burned-out husk of the home he used to own in the 1800 block of North Chester Street in East Baltimore.
He told WJZ Investigates he sold his home because he could no longer deal with vandalism and squatters.
"I did everything right," Brown said. "This would have been a perfect home for somebody who could have enjoyed warmth and security, but because of the red tape and the blockage from Baltimore City, I was forced to sell."
Brown said squatters broke in and set the place on fire.
And it is not the first time.
Second home to burn
In 2022, Brown bought a house in Southwest Baltimore's Carrollton Ridge neighborhood. It caught fire with a body inside.
WJZ profiled Brown's struggles to get help at the time.
Federal investigators said the victim, Miguel Soto Diaz, was tortured and held for ransom over a drug deal before being shot, and the home on Furrow Street set ablaze.
"It was a murder that psychologically messed me up," Brown said. "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to say, 'Ok, we've got a problem with that. How can we fix it?' As opposed to just settling and saying, 'OK, that's just the Baltimore way.' No, it's not. Baltimore is a great city, and we will come out of this, but we need the city to help us."
Brown remembers police telling him they could do nothing when the squatters moved in, and a judge denying his petition for a quick eviction.
Brown said he also became frustrated with the red tape of getting permits.
"Get out of it. Right now, it's like a sinking ship because I don't see anything coming from the ashes," said Brown, about what he would tell the new owners of both of his properties.
Those owners both spoke to and declined interviews with WJZ Investigates.
The Chester Street property was bought by an investor from New York. The Furrow Street property was purchased by an owner who said he is waiting to redevelop it.
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$3 billion rehab plan
Brown's troubles show some of the challenges as the city moves forward with an ambitious plan to eradicate vacant homes. It is expected to take 15 years and cost $3 billion.
They are focused on rehabbing entire blocks and getting community input, as the housing commissioner showed WJZ at a revitalized block on Harlem Avenue in Upton.
"It isn't just about decreasing the number of vacants, but it is about healing our communities and bringing that life back," said Housing Commissioner Alice Kennedy.
Fixing the problems with permits
City councilmember Odette Ramos has long worked to solve the vacant home problem and spoke to WJZ in the 1600 block of Gorsuch in her district.
"This is a great block. This is like my favorite block in the entire city. People think I'm nuts because it's got vacant properties everywhere," she said.
Ramos knows the potential.
Many of the homes have been acquired by the city through an expedited "in rem" foreclosure process that has been a game changer.
"When the liens get higher than the value of the property, the city can foreclose, take possession and work with the community on who they want to sell the properties to," Ramos said. "Instead of just rehabbing one here and one there, we have maximum impact on that block, which then spills over into other blocks. So, it's a very, very important strategy."
Ramos has pushed to revamp and streamline the permitting process, which often slows down redevelopment.
"I can't tell you the number of times I've had to intervene when somebody just hasn't heard back from the permit office, and then what happens? There are tons of examples where someone who's rehabbing doesn't even want to deal with the permit office," Ramos said. "So, we get a rehabbed house like the one we're standing next to which has no permits. That means they've had no inspections, so anybody buying this property does not know that the health and safety standards have not been met. We want to avoid that at all costs."
The city just launched Bmore FAST, which coordinates the approval process across city agencies.
It cannot come fast enough for those living next to the blight.
"It damages their property value. They cannot get homeowners insurance, or the insurance is super high," Ramos said. "This is a major crisis all over the city and it's holding us back. We know people actually want to live here. We need to have the inventory for them, and people want houses like this."
Brown sees the potential, but for him, two fires are too many.
"It's only by the grace of god that I'm not crazy about it. With all the fires and the insurance and the fees that I have to pay," Brown said. "Before, I had hope, but they just watered down my hope. So, you're better off playing the lottery at this point. I just ask for Baltimore City to start paying attention to Baltimoreans."
