BALTIMORE — When you've got 14,000 of something, it's hard to ignore.
That's how many vacant properties we have in Baltimore City. While many issues spawn from property vacancies, one inconspicuous component is worsening things: water, namely water service, which stays on in a home where nobody lives.
"It's a big deal," said Baltimore Councilwoman Odette Ramos. "We've had neighbors living next to vacant properties where it's cold in the winter, the pipes burst, and then it impacts the owner's property."
The fact that the water's on might attract squatters, and repairing pipe bursts in vacant homes redirects valuable resources, Ramos explained.
According to city code, the Department of Housing and Community Development has to notify DPW to shut off water once a home is deemed vacant. Still, there are plenty with the water still on.
Ramos called for a hearing in City Council, which took place on July 11th, to convene city officials to address the issue.
At the hearing, city officials explained they now have a five-tier priority list to turn off the water in vacants, starting with those scheduled to be demolished, and continuing with less pressing properties, including those scheduled to be rehabbed.
"We believe this is a much more manageable approach," said Stephanie Murdock, director of legislative service for DHCD, at the hearing.
As Murdock explained, the tiers are as follows:
1st tier - Properties in demolition pipeline
2nd tier - Properties with a VBN (Vacant Building Notice) issued over 10 years, no open permits, deed date older than 1 year
3rd tier - VBN issued 5 years ago, no open permits, deed date older than 1 year
4th tier - VBN issued less than 5 years ago, no open permits, not in one of DHCD’s project impact inverstment areas, major redevelopment areas, community development zones, development division projects
5th tier - All remaining VBNs
At that hearing, DPW estimated they could perform 20 turnoffs a day, based on location.
"If we're shutting off the water in a timely manner, it minimizes damage to homes and the homes around it. So that's important," Ramos continued in an interview with WMAR-2 News.
To our knowledge, there are about 14,000 total vacant homes in Baltimore City. An estimate prices solving the problem at about $7.5 billion.
