Business & Tech

SPEAK OUT: Is Charm City Positioning to Cherry Pick DC Residents?

Baltimore mayor seeks 10,000 new families.

By Ben Gross

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake recently told attendees at a “Redefining Rust Belt” discussion that cheaper housing prices and a more affordable cost-of-living mean Baltimore is positioned to pick up some new residents from DC.

“We have some great opportunities to poach from some of their residents,” Blake (D) said, the Baltimore Business Journal reported.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

The Federal Reserve Bank holds the Redefining Rust Belt conferences, which focus on boosting population in former industrial cities. Tuesday’s discussion included participants from Cleveland, Philadelphia and Detroit, in addition to those from Baltimore focused on a plan to bring 10,000 new families to Charm City by 2020.

Rawlings-Blake highlighted a planned $20 million to $25 million renovation of Lexington Market – a popular historic market with everything from fresh seafood and produce to crab cakes – reductions in property taxes and the demolition of thousands of unoccupied homes.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

The BBJ article cites U.S. Census data showing that Baltimore’s population had been stagnant over the past 60-plus years, until a slight uptick in 2012.

The mayor also touted the expansion of weekend MARC rail service to DC and a $1.1 billion plan for 15 new city schools.

Speak Out: Do you live in or near DC? What would it take to get you to move from DC to Baltimore? Live in or near Baltimore? What “charms” of Charm City would you use to lure DC denizens north? Tell us in the comments.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Greenbelt