MAYOR BRANDON M. SCOTT BUILDING A BETTER BALTIMORE

MAYOR

BRANDON M. SCOTT

BUILDING A BETTER

BALTIMORE

First Term Action Plan

Released: December 8, 2021

Thank you for your interest in my Action Plan

for Baltimore. This tool allows you to see the

goals my administration is committed to making

signicant progress on and accomplishing

during my rst term as your Mayor. The tool

is organized into ve core pillars: Building

Public Safety, Prioritizing Youth, Clean and

Healthy Communities, Equitable Neighborhood

Development, and Responsible Stewardship of

City Resources. You can follow along with the

status of our actions, which will be updated on a

quarterly basis, as well as view key performance

indicators for each goal.

At the start of my term in December 2020, I

embarked on a process to operationalize my

vision for the City of Baltimore and give residents

a way to see immediate transformation in their

City government. This Action Plan seeks to

establish measurable goals and intentionally

reverse course from outdated policies and

strategies that have not yielded results in the

past. I strongly believe that to make progress, we

must set ambitious goals and work every day to

achieve them.

To put our city on a new path, my administration

will need to operate with greater urgency,

transparency, accountability, and commitment to

equity than ever before. This Action Plan

represents my continued and very personal

commitment to work tirelessly every day on your

behalf, in strong partnership and coordination

across my administration. We must show

progress over time and provide a way for

residents to regularly follow along with our work—

not just report on what we have accomplished

once we are done.

My Action Plan builds on the thorough work of

my transition team, more than 250 committed

Baltimoreans—including young people,

community advocates, business leaders,

current and former government ocials,

artists, and academics—who generated clear

recommendations for change and progress in

Baltimore. That transition report was taken up

by my executive team and agency leaders, who

considered how to bring those recommendations,

as well as other improvements, to life.

I invite you to follow along with our progress and

hold my administration accountable as we prove

that a new way forward is possible in Baltimore.

In service,

Brandon M. Scott

Mayor

DEAR

BALTIMORE,

PRIMARY AGENCIES

Mayor’s Oce of Neighborhood

Safety and Engagement

Baltimore Police Department

Baltimore City Fire Department

Baltimore City Health Department

Mayor’s Oce of Homeless Services

Mayor’s Oce of Neighborhoods

Oce of Performance and Innovation

Environmental Control Board

Baltimore City Information Technology

As Mayor Scott frequently says, Baltimore is

wrestling with multiple public health crises: the global

COVID-19 pandemic and local epidemics of gun

violence and preventable overdose deaths. Since

2015, Baltimore has seen more than 300 homicides

per year—the overwhelming majority of which were

gun-related. In 2020, there were 954 opioid-related

overdose deaths in Baltimore.

Historically, our city has over-relied on the 3Ps —

policing, prosecutions, and prisons—which have

failed to yield long-term results. Never before have

we developed a holistic public safety strategy, one

that aims to treat gun violence as a public health

crisis and operationalizes what Baltimore residents

want to see from their City government. These goals

and actions recognize that every agency, institution,

and organization that interfaces with Baltimoreans

has a role to play in preventing violence.

Pillar Champion

Deputy Mayor for Public Safety

Sunny Schnitzer

Pillar

BUILDING

PUBLIC

SAFETY

1.1 Implement, evaluate, and expand the group

violence reduction strategy (GVRS) in

partnership with community to stem murders

and shootings.

1.2 Expand and strengthen victim services

and advocacy for victims of shootings,

interpersonal violence, sexual violence, child

abuse, and human tracking.

1.3 Expand investments in community-based

violence intervention programs, tripling the

number of agreements City Hall has with

sustainable and evidence-based efforts.

2.1 Implement consent decree-required reforms

and demonstrate compliance on a majority of

subject areas.

2.2 Pilot, evaluate, and expand neighborhood

policing plans across Baltimore to give

residents more input into how police respond

to calls for service.

2.3 Identify and deploy an early intervention system

that meets the requirements of the consent

decree and monitors police ocer use of force,

resident complaints, arrests, and discipline.

1.4 Assess and strengthen the Safe Streets

program.

1.5 Operate a regular PoliceStat to track,

analyze, and improve the accountability and

effectiveness of BPD’s core violence reduction

strategies within the Comprehensive Violence

Prevention Plan.

1.6 Develop several forums for residents to engage

with city leadership around public safety

concerns and share ideas for improvement.

2.4 Gradually increase the personnel capacity

of BPD’s Public Integrity Bureau, building

accountability and reducing the time it takes to

close internal investigations.

2.5 Institute new records management, case

management, and learning management

systems, while investing in the remaining

technology advancements required by the

consent decree.

• Number of homicides (FY)

• Number of shootings

• Resident perception of public safety

• Partnerships between community

organizations and City Hall

Metrics are being developed

Reduce violent crime and achieve sustainable reductions in crime through an

all-hands-on-deck approach in partnership with Baltimore communities.

Achieve significant progress on implementation and compliance of the federal

consent decree, focused on policing practices.

Goal

ACTIONS

HOW WE PLAN TO TRACK PROGRESS

2.1 Expand the Crime Gun Intelligence Center to

an additional district, helping increase the

speed of analysis and quality of crime gun

investigations.

2.2 Establish the Firearms Intelligence Unit

and institute a multi-year gun tracking

investigation strategy.

4.1 Develop safe return plans for returning

residents, in coordination with the State

Department of Public Safety and

Correctional Services.

4.2 Launch the Re-Entry Action Network,

coordinating City agencies and community-

based organizations to ensure

seamless service.

4.3 Increase job placements for residents

returning home from incarceration by

15 percent each year.

2.3 Develop and operationalize improved data tools

to allow City agencies and partners to track the

origin of illegal guns and improve response,

including through legislative advocacy.

4.4 Develop and execute a training program

for returning residents, equipping them for

employment in high-growth, high-demand

industries.

4.5 Develop and convene a business roundtable

with a focus on increasing support for returning

residents, decreasing barriers to entry, and

improving local hiring practices.

• Number of violent

crimes committed

with illegal guns

• Clearance rate for violent

crime cases committed

with illegal guns

• Number of cases with illegal

guns taken up by Federal

prosecutors

Metrics are being developed

Hold gun traffickers accountable and decrease the flow of

illegal guns into Baltimore.

Increase support for returning residents, particularly around treatment,

family strengthening, and employment services.

Goal

ACTIONS

HOW WE PLAN TO TRACK PROGRESS

5.1 Initiate and expand 9-1-1 call diversion efforts

to re-route appropriate calls for service away

from police response and towards behavioral

health specialists and community partners.

5.2 Develop and begin implementing a strategy for

closing gaps in Baltimore’s public behavioral

health system that lead to unnecessary

encounters with law enforcement.

5.3 Identify alternative responses for at least four

additional call types that do not require Police,

Fire, or EMS responses, including identifying

community service providers to serve as

coordinated entry points for households at-risk

of or experiencing homelessness.

6.1 Pilot and evaluate alternate response,

alternative transportation, and alternative

destination initiatives for transport of certain

non-emergency calls.

6.2 Minimize turnaround time at Baltimore-area

emergency departments.

6.3 Develop and implement a comprehensive

approach to EMS workforce recruitment, hiring,

retention, professional development, and planning.

5.4 Increase resident awareness and use of

online and telephone reporting for minor

crimes, which do not require an in-person law

enforcement response.

5.5 Increase the number of City staff and residents

trained in naloxone use, to increase Baltimore’s

capacity to reverse opioid overdoses.

5.6 Improve standards for outreach to people

experiencing homelessness and strengthen

partnerships between City government and

medical, mental health, and behavioral health

support services.

5.7 Train BPD sworn personnel in crisis response

and the new behavioral health policies.

6.4 Strengthen the management and stang

infrastructure of EMS Division to fulll

departmental needs and best serve

Baltimore residents.

6.5 Assess existing Medicaid billing systems

for ambulatory services to ensure the City

has the resources necessary to operate a

comprehensive, reliable, and safe EMS system.

• Number of calls for

service diverted

• Percent of calls for

service diverted

• Number of calls for service

diverted for co-response (vs.

exclusively external partner)

• Percent of EMS responses

within 9 minutes

• Number of alternative transports

• Calls resolved requiring

no transport

Accelerate and expand 9-1-1 alternative efforts to divert appropriate emergency calls

to trained behavioral health specialists, improving Baltimore’s response to behavioral

and mental health crises.

Modernize the City’s Emergency Medical System (EMS) to reduce overall response

times to high priority calls, with a focus on harm reduction.

Goal

ACTIONS

HOW WE PLAN TO TRACK PROGRESS

7.1 Establish a Shooting Response Protocol within

the Coordinated Neighborhood Stabilization

Response (CNSR) to decrease retaliation,

address trauma, and promote healing.

7.2 Through the Greater Baltimore Integrated Crisis

System Partnership, implement a regional

crisis response model for behavioral health

crisis calls.

7.3 Reconstitute the Criminal Justice Coordinating

Council and institute new meeting metrics,

reporting mechanisms, and outcomes.

7.4 Redesign the child fatality review process,

incorporating a data-driven process and

accountability for all partners including local

government, state government, and

community partners.

7.5 Adopt a regional emergency response

partnership with neighboring counties for

disaster relief.

• Number of cases federally

prosecuted

• Number of products developed

by CJCC

• Total grant dollars received by

City for prevention programs

Strengthen federal, state, and regional coordination on joint efforts focused on

violence prevention, intervention, enforcement, and re-entry.

Goal

ACTIONS

HOW WE PLAN TO TRACK PROGRESS

PRIMARY AGENCIES

Baltimore City Health Department

Baltimore City Public Schools

Baltimore City Recreation & Parks

Baltimore Police Department

Department of Social Services

Family League of Baltimore

Mayor’s Oce of Children & Family Success

Mayor’s Oce of Employment Development

Small Business Resource Center

Enoch Pratt Free Library

Mayor Scott has committed that the City will do

more to invest in the promise of young Baltimoreans,

rather than their failure. Historically, Baltimore has

over-invested in punitive approaches when young

people act out or make a mistake. The Mayor has

named Prioritizing Our Youth a cornerstone of his

administration’s strategy for a safer, accountable, and

more equitable Baltimore.

The goals and actions in this pillar range include

ensuring a quality education, providing modern

recreation facilities, employment opportunities,

support for disconnected youth, socio-emotional

health, and engagement with City government. They

also span youth at all stages of development, from

babies and children to teens and young adults. The

Scott administration will ensure that young people

are not just a topic of discussion, but are represented

around the table and part of the process.

Pillar

PRIORITIZING

YOUTH

Pillar Champion

Deputy Mayor for Equity, Health,

and Human Services Faith Leach

Metrics are being developed

1.1 Fund the City’s obligation to the Blueprint

for Maryland’s Future and implement the

Kirwan Commission’s recommendations for

educational equity.

1.2 Working with students and families, create

a Student Learning Plan for every student,

focused on social, emotional, and academic

needs and interests. (Led by City Schools)

1.3 In partnership with the Enoch Pratt Free Library,

strengthen programs to increase school

engagement and support literacy among

Baltimore youth.

1.4 Offer more free after-school programs for

students at local recreation centers, with a

focus on ensuring access to quality education.

2.1 For the rst time, establish a year-round

YouthWorks pilot program, offering longer-term

employment to at least 100 high school juniors

and seniors.

2.2 Develop and execute a strategic plan for

disconnected boys and young men of color

focused on removing barriers and ensuring

access to equitable opportunities.

2.3 Build a mentorship and training pipeline to

connect young adults to available career

opportunities within City government, including

DPW and Rec & Parks.

1.5 Increase youth participation in the City’s

recreation programming by improving and

modernizing facilities and offerings.

1.6 Signicantly increase free, quality programs

offered by the City for youth—including pools,

rec leagues, and summer camps—and reassess

Rec and Parks fees to ensure equitable access.

1.7 Implement a unied Municipal I.D. program

to make it easier for students and residents

to access City services, including libraries,

recreation, and transportation.

2.4 Strengthen the pathway for recent Baltimore

City Public Schools graduates to enter training

and career-track jobs in growing industries,

with a focus on serving disconnected youth.

2.5 Expand youth entrepreneurship programming

to introduce young people between the ages of

7-17 to foundational business and career skills.

2.6 Develop a districtwide career and higher

education mentoring program for

youth between the ages of 15-21.

(Led by City Schools)

Ensure Baltimore families have access to the quality educational and recreational

environments every child deserves.

Increase quality employment, mentorship, and entrepreneurship opportunities

for disconnected youth.

Goal

ACTIONS

HOW WE PLAN TO TRACK PROGRESS

3.1 Launch the SideStep youth diversion program,

co-developed by Baltimore youth, to support

young people who make mistakes rather than

immediately arresting them.

3.2 Deepen interagency partnerships and increase

youth diversion practices to support boys

and young men of color and drive reductions

in recidivism.

3.3 Provide additional support for youth in custody

and their families, including re-entry planning,

navigation support, and community-based

programming.

3.4 Implement the Crossover Youth Practice Model

to decrease system involvement of Baltimore

youth while increasing prevention efforts.

3.5 Fund community-based violence prevention

programming for school-aged children

and youth to foster conict transformation

skills and encourage appropriate behavioral

responses.

3.6 Establish workforce training programs for

justice-involved students at alternative schools,

allowing them to earn certications and move

toward job placement. (Led by City Schools)

3.7 Develop policies and train police ocers

on youth diversion and other youth-focused

policies through a behavioral health, trauma-

informed, and youth justice lens.

• Percent of youth 14-21

employed during summer

• YouthWorks participation

• Total enrollment in youth

recreation programs

• Enrollment in city-funded trade schools and

rehabilitation programs

• GED/HS degree completion for justice

involved youth

Decrease the number of justice-involved youth and increase opportunities for

education and employment.

Goal

ACTIONS

HOW WE PLAN TO TRACK PROGRESS

2.7 Support older youth transitioning from foster

care with mentorship, education, employment,

and housing. (Led by Baltimore City DSS)

2.8 Increase foster youth access to community

summer camps and recreational activities.

(Led by Baltimore City DSS)

GOAL 2 ACTIONS CONTINUED

4.1 Expand the early childhood and parent

programming offered in Baltimore rec centers

to encourage learning, development, and family

strengthening.

4.2 Provide quality Head Start services for

children and families to ensure their health and

developmental readiness to start school.

4.3 Increase the number of Early Learning Hubs,

also known as Judy Centers, to improve early

childhood education and address the needs

of children, parents, and families. (Led by City

Schools)

4.4 Further decrease racial disparity in infant

mortality, improve maternal care, and continue

outreach efforts through the B’more for Healthy

Babies program.

4.5 Ensure foster parents, caseworkers, and birth

parents are educated on safe sleep practices to

protect the wellbeing of infant children.

4.6 Initiate a Plan of Safe Care for substance-

exposed newborns to address health

and safety concerns, while providing

adequate support.

4.7 Provide early intervention services like

screening and therapy to children between the

ages of 0–3 with suspected developmental

disabilities to support them in their

development.

4.8 Conduct a comprehensive health and

behavioral assessment for every child that

enters foster care to provide necessary support

and detect developmental needs early.

4.9 Conduct yearly mental and behavioral health

screenings for children in home visit programs

under the age of 5 and teach parents social

management skills needed to identify

risk factors.

• Number of children under 5

from lower income households

utilizing kindergarten

readiness programs

• Participation in Healthy Start

• Participation in Head Start

Ensure babies and young children are socially-emotionally healthy and

developmentally ready to succeed upon entering kindergarten.

Goal

ACTIONS

HOW WE PLAN TO TRACK PROGRESS

5.1 Host biannual Youth Summits with the Mayor

to bring attention to youth-focused issues

in Baltimore.

5.2 Establish Recreation Center Councils

with youth representation to ensure youth

perspectives are reected in programming and

activity decisions.

5.3 Hold quarterly meetings between the Baltimore

City Youth Commission and the City Schools

CEO’s Youth Leadership Advisory Council to

collaborate on advocacy projects.

5.4 Partner with the Youth Commission to

establish a cabinet member youth

shadow program.

5.5 Strengthen the relationship between the Mayor,

cabinet ocials, and public school students

through participation in career days and

classroom visits.

• Number of youths serving on boards

and commissions

• Total participation in Mayor’s Youth Summit

Increase engagement with Baltimore youth to make local government more

accessible to and reflective of them.

Goal

ACTIONS

HOW WE PLAN TO TRACK PROGRESS

PRIMARY AGENCIES

Baltimore City Health Department

Department of Housing and

Community Development

Baltimore City Recreation & Parks

Department of Transportation

Baltimore Department of Planning

Department of Public Works

Environmental Control Board

Mayor’s Oce of Homeless Services

Mayor Scott recognizes the connection between

neighborhood cleanliness and the public health of

our communities. The Scott administration has been

focused on building clean and healthy communities.

Upon taking oce, the Mayor restarted residential

recycling pickup, which had been suspended due to

the pandemic, and initiated regular neighborhood

cleanups. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic put

public health disparities, along lines of race and

class, in stark focus.

Uplifting quality of life for Baltimoreans, regardless of

zip code, will require all stakeholders to work together

and nd new, innovative ways to build a more

equitable city. The goals and actions in this pillar

seek to move the needle, improving life outcomes for

residents, cleaning up neighborhoods, and focusing

on collaboration with communities.

Pillar

CLEAN AND

HEALTHY

COMMUNITIES

Pillar Champion

Deputy City Administrator Daniel Ramos

• Annual instances of lead

poisoning in children 18

and under

• City-funded substance

abuse slots

• Asthma prevalence

1.1 Reduce chronic health disparities across racial

and ethnic groups by decommissioning the use

of waste incineration within the next decade.

1.2 Decrease incidences of lead paint poisoning,

with an emphasis on households with pregnant

women and children age 6 or younger.

1.3 Launch a coordinated strategy to inspect

nuisance properties to improve the health and

cleanliness of Baltimore neighborhoods.

2.1 Increase inclusionary housing standards to

expand the production of affordable housing in

all neighborhoods.

2.2 Provide legal assistance to tenants by standing

up the Right to Counsel program, with a focus

on housing stability and eviction prevention.

2.3 Create a short- and long-term strategy for

reforming Baltimore’s tax lien certicate sale

process, with a focus on providing relief to

homeowners facing property liens.

2.4 Take active steps to expand non-congregate

shelter, rapid rehousing, or more permanent

supportive housing options.

1.4 Improve air quality and move the city closer to

zero waste through more sustainable waste

management practices, including recycling and

composting.

1.5 Increase air quality monitoring in low-income

and historically redlined neighborhoods,

creating more sustainable living conditions.

1.6 Decrease asthma rates and produce more

heat remediation zones across Baltimore

neighborhoods by expanding Baltimore’s

tree canopy.

2.5 Re-structure and expand emergency shelter

access and capacity to reduce temporary

housing insecurity.

2.6 Ensure outreach workers and rst responders

can eciently connect people in need of

emergency temporary shelter to available

shelter beds.

2.7 Implement winter shelter and code blue

capacity to prevent hypothermic incidents

that are caused by housing insecurity and

homelessness.

Reduce public health disparities across the City by decreasing environmental

hazards and improving air quality.

Provide support services to reduce housing insecurity and

homelessness in Baltimore.

Goal

ACTIONS

HOW WE PLAN TO TRACK PROGRESS

3.1 Improve residential solid waste pickup

through route modernization, staff recruitment,

retention, and service changes.

3.2 Restart street sweeping services to improve

the cleanliness of neighborhoods and major

thoroughfares.

3.3 Reduce illegal dumping in Baltimore

neighborhoods through active enforcement,

regular clean ups, and proactive coordination.

3.4 Increase the City’s capacity to enforce safe

parking, clear bicycle lanes and roadways, and

remove abandoned vehicles.

3.5 Develop neighborhood capacity to keep

communities clean in partnership with DPW,

with a focus on employing residents and

combating illegal dumping.

3.6 Adopt a resident-led environmental design

strategy, Activate Your Space, focused on

positive public safety outcomes.

3.7 Implement a community volunteer clean-up

program to support organizations, community

groups, and residents who care for Baltimore’s

public green spaces and vacant lots.

3.8 Launch an anti-littering campaign to educate

residents on the environmental consequences

of improper waste disposal, while increasing

community cleanliness.

3.9 Provide neighborhood greening resource hubs,

in collaboration with residents, communities,

and faith-based groups, to expand local

knowledge and technical expertise on greening.

3.10 Increase transparency, environmental

quality, and agency accountability by

streamlining the online Stormwater

Management submission system.

• % of Greenway trails Complete

• Trees planted annually

• Total acreage of public parks and

community green space

• Miles of bike lanes

Improve the cleanliness of Baltimore neighborhoods, streets, parks, and public

spaces—while expanding green space across neighborhoods.

Goal

ACTIONS

HOW WE PLAN TO TRACK PROGRESS

• Number of individuals experiencing long-term

homelessness (point in time)

• Number of evictions prevented

• Percent of homeless households who return to a

homeless services program within 2 years of an

exit to permanent housing

HOW WE PLAN TO TRACK PROGRESS

2.8 Through continued implementation of the

Assistance in Community Integration Services

(ACIS) Pilot, fund case management for the

people most at risk of institutional placement

or homelessness post release.

2.9 Develop and implement a plan to demobilize

the prevention hotels established in response

to COVID-19, moving the focus to more

sustainable non-congregate shelter and

housing options.

GOAL 2 ACTIONS CONTINUED

• Percent of city population

utilizing SNAP and online SNAP

• Percent of city population that

use public transportation to get

to work

• Walk score

• Number of households enrolled in Water for All

• Total dollar value of bill adjustments

4.1 Ensure Baltimore residents in need can

consistently access quality, nutritious food

beyond the pandemic.

4.2 Launch and expand nutrition incentives at

healthy food retailers and farm vendors to

improve accessibility and affordability of

healthy food.

4.3 Collaborate with community partners to add

four new virtual supermarket sites, increasing

access to healthy foods across neighborhoods.

5.1 Once and for all, x Baltimore’s water billing

system through reforms, improved meter

operations, and employee training.

5.2 Implement the Water Accountability and

Equity Act to provide residents with access

to affordable, quality water and an ecient

dispute resolution process.

5.3 Fulll the DPW consent decree requirements to

address sewage overows and nish needed

electrical upgrades at the Patapsco and Back

River Wastewater Treatment Plants.

4.4 Design an equitable, accessible transit

development plan that accommodates all users

and expands free transit options to improve

mobility and reliability.

4.5 Set standards that provide safe and accessible

accommodations for all travel modes, including

pedestrian, bike, transit, and vehicular trac.

4.6 Increase outreach and education efforts to

encourage transit use and carpooling through a

lens of sustainability.

5.4 Reduce the frequency of water rate increases

by improving collections and making system

improvements.

5.5 Ensure safe and high-quality water with the

completion of the Montebello Filtration Plant.

5.6 Stem lead and copper seepage into

drinking water, in alignment with the latest

EPA standards.

Ensure every neighborhood can access affordable, healthy food; safe, reliable public

transportation options; and quality streets and sidewalks.

Provide an affordable, world class water service while maintaining safe and

high-quality water standards.

Goal

ACTIONS

HOW WE PLAN TO TRACK PROGRESS

• Annual per capita recycling

tonnage collected

• Greenhouse gas emissions

(measured every 3 years)

• Annual citywide energy use

6.1 Remove at least 45 tons of trash and debris

from park property annually in partnership with

residents and community-based organizations.

6.2 Distribute recycling carts to Baltimore

households and increase public awareness

of recycling services provided by the City,

improving recycling rates and sustainability.

6.3 Increase the amount of food waste diverted

from the residential waste stream through food

scrap drop-off, composting workshops, and

partnerships with local institutions.

6.4 Expand Baltimore’s capacity to compost,

recycle, and manage waste by identifying and

determining the suitability of a previously

closed landll site and City property.

6.5 Conduct an internal review on the City’s

sustainability footprint, focused on carbon,

energy usage, single use plastics, and

construction waste.

6.6 Recycle all street and parkland trees into

lumber and mulch, making it available for

residents and City agencies to use in capital

construction projects.

6.7 Improve community resiliency to support

communities through extreme natural and man-

made events resulting from climate change.

6.8 Deploy new extreme heat mitigation and

management options for residents.

6.9 Evaluate potential code improvements to

increase overall energy eciency

and resiliency.

6.10 Demonstrate improved sustainability

performance by achieving the Gold certication

from the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED

for Cities.

Move the City and Baltimore residents towards a more sustainable future and zero

waste, through improved recycling, composting, waste management, and improved

energy practices.

Goal

ACTIONS

HOW WE PLAN TO TRACK PROGRESS

PRIMARY AGENCIES

Baltimore City Health Department

Baltimore City Recreation & Parks

Baltimore Development Corporation

Baltimore Oce of Promotion and the Arts

Department of Housing &

Community Development

Department of Transportation

Mayor’s Oce of Immigrant Affairs

Mayor’s Oce of Broadband

and Digital Equity

Mayor’s Oce of Employment Development

Mayor’s Oce of Recovery Programs

Minority and Women-Owned

Business Development

Baltimore Department of Planning

Mayor Scott is focused on building a city longtime

Baltimoreans can enjoy and thrive-in by building

an effective and equitable City government—the

very things that will make our city attractive to new

residents, as well as new investment. Historically,

investments made in Baltimore’s Downtown have

been to the detriment of our neighborhoods.

The goals and actions in this pillar center on

uplifting our Downtown corridor and our incredible

neighborhoods, with a vision rooted in inclusive

and sustainable economic growth. Building more

equitable neighborhoods starts with supporting the

businesses and workers most impacted by COVID-19,

retaining legacy residents, supporting capital

investment in formerly redlined neighborhoods,

prioritizing local, women-owned and Black-owned

businesses, and closing the digital divide.

Pillar

EQUITABLE

NEIGHBORHOOD

DEVELOPMENT

Pillar Champion

Deputy Mayor for Community and

Economic Development Ted Carter

• Unemployment

• Number of shuttered businesses

• Vaccination rate

• Spend down of ARPA, infrastructure bill funds

• Total number of vacant buildings

• Total capital + ARPA +infrastructure

spending in redlined neighborhoods

1.1 Reach an 80 percent citywide vaccination rate,

with a focus on City employees, students, and

residents in vulnerable groups.

1.2 Support populations vulnerable to the

economic consequences of COVID-19 with

training, apprenticeships, subsidized work,

supportive services, and transportation

assistance.

1.3 Continue to provide technical assistance to

small businesses recovering from COVID-19

with new resources, including offering

professional services.

2.1 Ensure a timely resolution of housing and

community development service requests

entered into 311, with an emphasis on equity.

2.2 Identify and stabilize vacant structures

adjacent to occupied properties to prevent

additional vacancies, stabilize, and attract new

homeowners to Baltimore neighborhoods.

2.3 Identify capital improvement opportunities,

with a focus on parks in formerly redlined

neighborhoods.

2.4 Prioritize and fund infrastructure requests

for major affordable housing developments

and new construction in formerly redlined

neighborhoods.

1.4 Intentionally focus technical and nancial

support to Baltimore’s small, Black, Brown,

and women-owned businesses to foster their

growth post COVID-19.

1.5 Increase access to essential job training

and employment services for residents and

communities who need them most, through the

creation of additional Community Job Hubs.

1.6 Provide career pathways and increase resident

wages at job placements each year.

2.5 Conduct a comprehensive review and equity

analysis of 2018 zoning legislation.

2.6 Implement targeted, block-level strategies

identied by the Impact Investment Area

working groups to spur reinvestment and

revitalization.

2.7 Increase access to capital for local, small,

and minority-owned businesses in disinvested

communities.

2.8 Help vendors doing business with the City of

Baltimore access capital through the creation

of a line of credit facility.

Continue to ensure an equitable recovery from COVID-19 for Baltimore

residents and businesses.

Increase capital investment and ensure equitable access to services

in formerly redlined neighborhoods.

Goal

ACTIONS

HOW WE PLAN TO TRACK PROGRESS

• % participation/$ of MBE/WBE in

Baltimore city contracts

• Number of MBE/WBEs

and/or revenue

• % increase of hotel tax collected

as it correlates to tourism non-

local visitors to Baltimore

3.1 Launch an Economic Recovery Fund to assist

local, small, women-owned, and Black-and

Brown-owned businesses with economic

recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

3.2 Increase overall employment and revenue for

small, minority-owned businesses.

3.3 Create opportunities for local, small, women-

owned and Black and Brown-owned artists

and creators.

3.4 Update and streamline the procurement

process and procedures so local, minority-, and

women-owned businesses can benet from

and navigate the City’s procurement system.

4.1 Increase the affordable housing stock in

Baltimore City through rehabilitation and new

construction opportunities.

4.2 Work with lending institutions to increase

access to mortgages for properties priced

below $80,000, with a focus on incentivizing

low-income and affordable homeownership

opportunities.

4.3 Increase funding to develop affordable, high-

quality rental opportunities and enhance

existing inclusionary zoning policies.

3.5 Strengthen and create partnerships between

City government, local anchor institutions, and

local businesses most in need of economic

and institutional support.

3.6 Proactively monitor and respond to

transportation-related service requests to

improve pedestrian safety and mobility within

commercial corridors.

3.7 Visually enhance the appearance of

commercial corridors —including main streets,

arts and entertainment districts, business

and commercial districts—through façade

improvement grants.

4.4 Analyze the impact of existing home-buying

incentives through a lens of equity and re-

evaluate the program requirements to ensure

resident needs are met.

4.5 In partnership with the local resettlement

center, actively encourage immigration to

Baltimore and increase case management

services for immigrants and refugees.

Reimagine and provide support to Baltimore economic engines, commercial

corridors, and the arts community, with a focus on equity and opportunity for

local business owners and creatives.

Increase population with a focus on supporting seniors and maintaining

legacy Baltimore residents, while attracting more Black middle income

and immigrant families.

Goal

ACTIONS

HOW WE PLAN TO TRACK PROGRESS

5.1 Deploy a citywide public wi network to ensure

internet connectivity in all communities.

5.2 To bridge the equality divide, ensure all

Baltimore City recreation centers have internet

and adequate technology for public use.

5.3 Work with community-based organizations

to help older adults get internet access

and training.

5.4 Provide science, technology, engineering,

and math (STEM) programming at recreation

centers in each district to enhance

residents’ skills.

5.5 Organize technology and computer giveaways

for public housing residents.

5.6 Increase support to local, minority tech

business ventures to equitably grow Baltimore’s

tech economy.

Close the digital divide once and for all.

Goal

ACTIONS

• Baltimore population estimate

• Middle income

population estimate

• Immigrant population estimate

• Public internet usage by

sessions, bandwidth consumed,

locations served

• Training metrics by number of

residents served, total hours of

programming

• Number and dollar value of

devices provided

HOW WE PLAN TO TRACK PROGRESS

4.6 Regularly track progress toward population

retention and recruitment goals, while ensuring

the effectiveness of the administration’s

growth strategies.

4.7 Increase home improvement programs to

support legacy residents and allow seniors to

age in place.

GOAL 4 ACTIONS CONTINUED

PRIMARY AGENCIES

Chief Data Ocer

Department of General Services

Department of Human Resources

Baltimore City Department of Finance

Oce of Equity and Civil Rights

Oce of Performance & Innovation

Baltimore Department of Planning

Since taking oce, Mayor Scott has emphasized the

importance of practicing responsible stewardship

of the City’s budget during the COVID-19 pandemic

and beyond, while also realigning the budget with

our shared values. Modernizing the City’s outdated

processes—from paying bills and fees, to engaging

with the procurement process—and increasing

resident participation in their government are

imperatives to restoring the public’s trust in

their government.

The goals and actions in this pillar center on making

City government more effective, while prioritizing

services and resident opportunities in neighborhoods

that have historically been left behind. By being

responsible stewards, the City of Baltimore will

improve access and affordability of services, recruit

and retain a strong workforce, and be transparent and

accountable about the government’s performance.

Pillar

RESPONSIBLE

STEWARDSHIP

OF CITY

RESOURCES

Pillar Champion

City Administrator Christopher Shorter

• Percent of invoices paid within 30 days

• Number of annual single audit material deciencies

for Department of Finance

• Overall resident satisfaction

with City services

• Number of escalation SRs

• Overall 311 service request

percent on-time completion

in historically redlined

neighborhoods

1.1 Ensure an online bill payment option for all

fees, taxes, and nancial interactions involving

City government.

1.2 Develop an integrated citywide nancial

accounting system with automated controls for

a transparent account of spending.

1.3 Institute a modern, centralized data system to

improve operational eciency, data quality, and

public transparency.

2.1 Enhance the customer experience of Baltimore

residents and people conducting business

with the City through annual customer service

training and clearly-dened standards.

2.2 Offer additional self-service options to pay

utilities, property taxes, parking fees, permit

fees, special events fees, improving resident

experience and increasing accessibility.

2.3 Develop and launch NeighborhoodStat,

allowing the Mayor and City leaders to analyze

and improve service delivery with focus

on equity.

2.4 Reinitiate a biennial survey of Baltimore

residents to gather perspectives on a range of

issues, including City service delivery.

1.4 Increase the reliability of the City’s nancial

systems and controls by eliminating repeat

audit ndings.

1.5 Implement systems to strengthen the City’s

cybersecurity infrastructure, ensuring resident

data privacy and mitigating the impact of future

cyberattacks.

2.5 Achieve ADA compliance for all City websites

and reduce the number of clicks to reach

desired services or information.

2.6 Establish a tool to track the impact and

effectiveness of diversity, equity, and inclusion

programs within City agencies.

2.7 Establish a process to regularly review nes,

fees, and penalties, reducing the burden

on those least able to pay and improving

collections overall.

2.8 Fully implement Baltimore’s equity law and

analyze all operating budgets, capital budgets,

and legislation through an equity lens.

Improve the overall reliability, access, and transparency of the

City’s financial systems.

Deliver quality, efficient customer service to all residents through a lens of

equity, accessibility, and accountability.

Goal

ACTIONS

HOW WE PLAN TO TRACK PROGRESS

• Average # of working days to ll

civil service vacancies

• Annual number of unique

individuals who complete at

least one training

• Annual retention / turnover rate

• Overall 311 service request on-time performance

• Percent of workforce that participates in

performance evaluation process

3.1 Develop a citywide data training program to

achieve a resident-centric, performance-driven

workforce by December 2022.

3.2 Create a multi-year workforce retention plan

for Baltimore to ensure continuity of service

delivery and intentional transition planning.

3.3 Hold recruitment fairs to promote and ll

critical front-line positions, while creating on-

the-job training opportunities for entry-level

opportunities.

3.4 Develop a talent pool for entry-level

professionals through the creation of an

internship program with local universities and

organizations.

4.1 Develop and manage a new performance

management system for City government

that allows agencies to plan performance

priorities, set targets, and monitor equitable

service delivery.

4.2 Set clear data quality standards and implement

a standardized process for data sharing

between agencies to improve government

performance.

3.5 Create a forum to promote employment

opportunities with the City of Baltimore to

local residents.

3.6 Partner with the Schaefer Center and University

of Baltimore’s Certied Public Manager (CPM)

program to develop local leadership talent

within the City’s high achieving workforce.

3.7 Suspend pre-employment drug screenings

for public employees in non-safety

sensitive positions.

4.3 Establish a Sustainability and Resiliency

Subcabinet to improve the long-term

sustainability, preparedness, and environmental

practices of the city.

4.4 Complete a comprehensive update of the

City’s 10 Year Financial Plan, including the

capital budget.

Recruit, retain, and develop a diverse and high-achieving workforce.

Improve government performance, accountability, and cross-agency collaboration.

Goal

ACTIONS

HOW WE PLAN TO TRACK PROGRESS

5.1 Create a Taxpayer Receipt to provide residents

with an itemized, transparent accounting of

how their tax dollars are spent.

5.2 Expand public engagement and education

around the development of Baltimore’s budget.

5.3 Expand Open Baltimore and make it more user

friendly, with community-developed data tools,

maps, and other reports to enhance City data

transparency.

5.4 Establish a community-driven commission to

comprehensively assess public monuments,

street names, and building names.

Increase transparency and meaningful resident participation in government.

Goal

ACTIONS

• Number of visits to Open Baltimore

• Number of government listserv subscribers

• Number of unique individuals who submit at least

one 311 service request

• Number of public forums during budget process

HOW WE PLAN TO TRACK PROGRESS

To view the full Action Plan and tracker, visit

mayor.baltimorecity.gov/tracker

For questions, please email mayor@baltimorecity.gov

or contact the Mayor's Oce of Constituent Services at

410-396-4900.

Correspondence can also be sent to:

Oce of the Mayor

250 City Hall, 100 N. Holliday Street

Baltimore, Maryland 21202