Baltimore leaders oppose Bill 25-0066 allowing investor conversions of homes

Community leaders and elected officials challenged City Council Bill 25-0066, saying the measure would remove single-family home protections and make it easier for investors to convert rowhouses into multiple apartments without public review, parking requirements, rent caps, or other safeguards.

Opponents gathered at a City Hall press conference and have organized an online petition with more than 1,100 signatures. Janet Allen, president of the Heritage Crossing Residents Association, said, “City Council Bill does not strengthen Baltimore. It destabilizes it. It puts profit over people, speculation over stewardship. And short-term gain over long-term community health.” Rev. Milton Alexander Williams Jr. of Pennsylvania Avenue AME Zion Church opened the City Hall event by invoking decades of housing policy that, he said, “promised progress but delivered pain.”

Neighborhood groups have moved beyond words. The Bolton Hill Community Association’s zoning and land use committee studied the five-bill package that contains 25-0066 and the association board adopted a resolution opposing the legislation, which it sent to the Baltimore City Planning Commission and elected officials. Bolton Hill leaders argue the bill “would give an unfair advantage to absentee landlords and would upset the delicate balance of owner-occupants and renters,” noting that Bolton Hill’s housing mix is roughly 40 percent homeowners and 60 percent renters.

Organizers also scheduled an online town hall titled “What Balto City Council doesn’t want you to know” for Feb. 10 at 7 p.m. as part of a push to broaden community input. Opponents have urged the Council to slow the process and invite more neighbor participation before changes move forward.

The bill’s lineage helps explain the political split. Councilman Ryan Dorsey introduced the idea in 2020 and is credited as the bill’s originator, while Councilman Zac Blanchard, who represents part of Bolton Hill, is listed as a supporter. Some council members joined the opposition at City Hall, including Councilmen Antonio Glover and Mark Conway. Bolton Hill reported that Councilman James Torrence does not support the legislation and encouraged residents to contact him.

Policy makers and advocates framed the fight within a broader housing debate. A City Council committee advanced several bills in the package by split votes, measures that would also allow building closer to property lines and eliminate off-street parking requirements, setting the stage for full Council consideration. Separately, the Strengthening Renter Safety Act went into effect Jan. 1; Council President Zeke Cohen said the act is meant to protect vulnerable residents and could expand inspections and lead to rental license revocations. Councilwoman Odette Ramos said, “If you are a landlord in Baltimore City, you cannot take advantage of our residents. That is the bottom line.”

For Baltimore residents, the clash raises concrete questions: who decides whether a single-family block becomes a multiunit investment corridor; how the city will manage infrastructure and parking; and whether tenant protections will keep pace with changes in ownership patterns. Opponents point to a petition line that reads, “Baltimore neighbors’ voices are being silenced while investors gain power!” Residents who want to weigh in can contact Councilman Zac Blanchard at zac.blanchard@Baltimorecity.gov or Councilman James Torrence at James.Torrence@baltimorecity.gov, attend tonight’s town hall at 7 p.m., or track the Council’s docket as the package moves toward a full vote.