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January

Percent of residential properties that are vacant and
abandoned at year's end

Why is this indicator important in Baltimore City?

The percent of residential properties that are classified as vacant and abandoned is an indicator of the housing conditions in Baltimore City.

This indicator reflects specifically the blighted homes - homes that are dilapidated, unlivable, and boarded, which are a very visible way to know about housing conditions.

This is different from how the U.S. Census calculates vacancy (see below for the explanation).

What has been happening in Baltimore City?

The percent of vacant and abandoned homes increased almost 2 percent between 2001 and 2003. In 2003, 7.15 percent of the homes in Baltimore City were vacant (14,192 out of 198,497 residential properties in 2003) up from 5.5 percent in 2000 (11,500 homes out of 199,207 total residential properties in 2000).

Definition:

The indicator reflects the number of properties designated as vacant and abandoned out of all residential properties in that area that year.

A privately- or publicly- owned property is classified as vacant and abandoned by Baltimore City government if: The property is not habitable and appears boarded up or open to the elements; the property was designated vacant prior to the given year and remains vacant; the property is a multi-family structure where all units are considered vacant (not just one or two).

- Vacant and abandoned property is included in the City's Open Notice file as a type of violation of the Baltimore City Housing Code. The violation remains open until full compliance (repair, demolition or sale).
- A report of a violation is verified by a housing inspector and listed in the Open Notice File. The inspector attempts to find and notify the property's owners of the violations and the time frame for compliance. If the owner is non-compliant after the deadline, the violation is submitted to housing court to assess fees or to issue the property into public possession at tax sale.
-Unoccupied homes (habitable, just empty) are not included as vacant in this definition.

Calculation considerations:

Trends begin in 2001, as that is the first year where data for this indicator are reliable.

The data for this indicator are from Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development, which is a different calculation than what is given by the U.S. Census 2000 in order to reflect the true nature of vacancy in Baltimore City. The U.S. Census reports there are 42,000 vacant units, whereas Baltimore City reports there are only 15,000 vacant properties. The difference is in what each source considers a vacant house.

-Vacant and dilapidated homes (the indicator used in Baltimore City) are properties that are uninhabitable, dilapidated, open to the elements or boarded up. The U.S. Census considers vacancy as a habitable housing unit that does not have anyone living in it that includes units that are for sale, rent, awaiting people to move in, seasonal, or abandoned homes.

Data source:

Open Notice File - Baltimore City Dept. of Housing and Community Development

Analysis:

Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance staff

Years tracked:

2001, 2002, 2003

Geography:

Citywide, CSA, census tract

To access the Indicator:

Download Vital Signs 3

Activate the interactive mapping system

Obtain the Vital Signs by census tract

Download Community Statistical Area profiles

For more information about the Alliance and the Vital Signs, go to the website www.bnia.org.

To find out about your neighborhood, go to the Vital Signs section of the Alliance website.

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