A new report shows that Baltimore City's "Buy Back the Block" (BBTB) program supported home ownership opportunities for nearly 120 local residents, including a significant number of Black women and long-term city residents. The BBTB program, originally funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was evaluated by the Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance (BNIA), a unit within the Jacob France Institute at The University of Baltimore's Merrick School of Business. BNIA's final report on the local home-ownership initiative shows that the ARPA funds are driving block-by-block revitalization in dozens of city neighborhoods; the analysis is now available.
The report, produced in collaboration with the City of Baltimore Mayor's Office of Recovery Programs (MORP) and supported by the nonprofit Live Baltimore, examines the socio-demographic characteristics of grant recipients and the housing market trends in the neighborhoods where they bought homes.
According to the findings, the BBTB program provided ARPA-seeded grants to help residents transition from renting to owning. The majority of recipients—approximately 82 percent—identified as Black or African American, and 73.5 percent were women. The program specifically addressed the racial wealth gap by supporting populations historically excluded from equitable housing opportunities.
"Buy Back the Block demonstrates that intentional investment can effectively reduce barriers to homeownership for those historically excluded from the market," said Amanda Phillips de Lucas, director of the Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance. "Our research shows that when residents are given the choice and the resources, they choose to invest in Baltimore’s neighborhoods, building both personal wealth and community stability."
The evaluation found that while nearly 80 percent of recipients moved to a new neighborhood, over half moved less than 10 minutes away. This trend highlights the importance of social ties, as many buyers sought homes that allowed them to remain close to family, friends, and established support networks.
"This report underscores the power of collaborative policy in addressing systemic inequities," Phillips de Lucas added. "By leveraging ARPA funds, Baltimore is not just facilitating property transactions; it is fostering long-term residential stability and empowering legacy residents to stay and thrive in the city they call home."
The report concludes with recommendations for the city to continue momentum, including ongoing support for new homeowners in areas like estate planning and continued investment in historically disinvested neighborhoods to bolster local housing markets.
The full "Buy Back the Block: Final Report" is available for public access on the City of Baltimore's website.
About the Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance
BNIA-JFI is a self-sustaining unit of the University of Baltimore’s Jacob France Institute. It provides meaningful data and indicators to improve the quality of life in Baltimore’s neighborhoods.
About Live Baltimore
Live Baltimore is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to citywide residential recruitment and retention to support a thriving Baltimore City.
About the Mayor's Office of Recovery Programs
MORP was established to oversee the distribution and management of Baltimore's $641 million ARPA allocation to ensure transparent and equitable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.