Baltimore has cut its number of vacant, blighted properties from 16,000 to 11,500 in the last few years — and is on pace to get under 1,000 by the mid-2030s. Councilman Zac Blanchard sits down with Victor Akinnagbe, director of Rebirth Baltimore, to talk about how that turnaround is actually happening on the ground.

Victor shares his own journey — flunking out of high school, finding his way to Coppin State University, and eventually returning to Baltimore to rehab the very neighborhood that shaped him. He and Zac dig into what it really takes to bring a vacant rowhome back to life, how Baltimore's approach compares to cities like Detroit and New York, and the biggest remaining hurdles — from licensing rules that keep skilled tradespeople sidelined to buyers who don't know the resources available to them.

Contact

Have a question, story idea, or feedback for the show? Reach out to Zac Blanchard's office:

• Show Website: https://blanchardbaltimore.transistor.fm/
• Councilman's Official Page: https://www.baltimorecity.gov/city-council/zac-blanchard-district-11
• Email: zachary.blanchard@baltimorecity.gov

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• (00:00) - – Baltimore's Vacant Housing Crisis, By the Numbers
• (03:01) - – Meet Victor & Rebirth Baltimore
• (04:23) - – What Rebirth Does & How It Started
• (07:52) - – Victor's Origin Story: From Flunking Out to Coppin State
• (13:57) - – Lessons from Detroit, New York & Trenton
• (17:18) - – What Elected Officials Get Wrong
• (20:47) - – What's Changed in the Last Few Years
• (23:11) - – The Biggest Remaining Hurdle: Licensing & Trades
• (25:01) - – Closing Thoughts