Baltimore is taking a major step toward making housing more abundant, affordable, and equitable. Mayor Brandon Scott and members of the City Council have introduced five bills aimed at modernizing outdated zoning laws that have long restricted housing development and driven up costs.
The most transformative proposal—Bill 25-0066—would allow up to four-unit multifamily housing in areas currently zoned for single-family homes. Mayor Scott described this as a direct challenge to exclusionary zoning practices rooted in racial and economic discrimination. “This bill creates a new category of ‘low-density, multi-family housing,’” Scott said, calling it a path to “abundant and affordable” housing.
Other bills in the package include:
- Bill 25-0062: Allows buildings up to six stories with a single staircase, reducing construction costs and enabling more efficient development.
- Bill 25-0065: Eliminates off-street parking requirements, which can add $25,000 or more to the cost of a new home.
- Bill 25-0063: Moves zoning administration to the Department of Planning for greater consistency.
- Bill 25-0064: Reduces bulk and yard standards, allowing homes to be built closer to property lines.
While these may seem like mundane zoning measures, Emily Hofstaeder of WYPR Baltimore argues that beneath the technical jargon lies a powerful opportunity to reshape the city’s housing landscape and address long-standing racial and economic disparities. These bills seek to undo the legacy of exclusionary zoning practices, which mandated large lots and single-family homes, and disproportionately excluded Black residents and other marginalized groups from homeownership.
Together, these reforms aim to remove barriers to housing production, lower costs, and expand options for Baltimore residents. If passed, they could reshape the city’s housing landscape for the better.
Read more about the proposals: