Explanation: Capitals indicate matter added to existing law.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
* Warning: This is an unofficial, introductory copy of the bill.
The official copy considered by the City Council is the first reader copy.
Introductory*
City of Baltimore
Council Bill
Introduced by: Councilmember Stokes
A Bill Entitled
An Ordinance concerning
title
Blight Elimination Task Force - Establishment
For the purpose of establishing the Baltimore City Blight Elimination Task Force and its members; setting forth certain duties of the Task Force; requiring an annual report; defining certain terms; and generally relating to the elimination of blight in Baltimore City.
body
By adding
Article 13 - Housing and Urban Renewal
Sections 2C-1 through 2C-6, to be under the new subtitle designation,
“Subtitle 2C. Blight Elimination Task Force”
Baltimore City Code
(Edition 2000)
Section 1. Be it ordained by the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, That the Laws of Baltimore City read as follows:
Baltimore City Code
Article 13. Housing and Urban Renewal
Subtitle 2C. Blight Elimination Task Force
§ 2C-1. Establishment.
There is a Baltimore City Blight Elimination Task Force in the Department of Housing and Community Development.
§ 2C-2. Composition.
(a) In general.
(1) The Task Force comprises 26 members.
(2) Of these:
(i) 14 members are appointed by the Mayor in accordance with Article IV, § 6 of the Baltimore City Charter; and
(ii) 9 members are ex officio members.
(b) Appointed members.
1 member must be appointed from each of the 14 Council Districts and nominated by the Councilmember representing that District.
(c) Ex officio members..
The ex officio members are:
(1) the City Administrator or the Administrator’s designee;
(2) the Director of the Department of Planning or the Director’s designee;
(3) the Commissioner of the Department of Housing and Community Development or the Commissioner’s designee; and
(4) 1 representative each from the:
(i) Office of Real Estate Development of the Department of Housing and Community Development;
(ii) Housing Code Enforcement Division of the Department of Housing and Community Development;
(iii) Land Use & Urban Design Division of the Department of Planning;
(iv) Solid Waste Bureau of the Department of Public Works;
(v) Environmental Inspection Services of the Department of Health;
(vi) Mayor’s Office of Performance and Innovation or its successor entity;
(vii) Operations Bureau of the Baltimore City Police Department;
(viii) Operations Bureau of the Baltimore City Fire Department; and
(ix) Board of Liquor License Commissioners for Baltimore City.
§ 2C-3. Terms; Organization.
(a) Terms.
Members serve for 4 years, concurrent with the Mayor’s term of office.
(b) Compensation.
Members serve on the Task Force without compensation.
(c) Vacancies.
(1) At the end of a term, a member serves until a successor is selected.
(2) A member who is selected after a term has begun serves for the rest of the term and until a successor is selected.
(d) Task Force co-chairs.
The Task Force shall elect 2 of its members to serve as the Task Force's co-chairs:
(1) 1 chair shall be an appointed member of the Task Force; and
(2) 1 chair shall be an ex-officio member of the Task Force.
(e) Meetings; quorum.
(1) The Task Force shall meet not less than once every quarter when 1 or both of the co-chairs call a meeting;
(2) The Task Force shall develop specific blight elimination plans with performance metrics to determine progress and ensure compliance.
(3) At each meeting each member of the Task Force shall deliver a status report on the completion of blight elimination plan items and on performance metrics.
(4) A majority of the members of the Task Force constitutes a quorum for the transaction of business, and an affirmative vote by the majority of a quorum is sufficient for any official action.
§ 2C-4. Staff.
The Department of Housing and Community Development shall provide adequate staff for the Task Force to carry out its duties.
§ 2C-5. Duties.
The Task Force shall:
(1) select blighted areas for remediation;
(2) direct City resources, as controlled by the units of City government represented on the Task Force, to remediate blighted areas until such resources are no longer necessary;
(3) work with the Mayor’s Office of Performance and Innovation to establish metrics to evaluate and assess the progress of the Task Force and its efforts;
(4) ensure that inspections performed by Department of Housing and Community Development employees are conducted and that appropriate enforcement actions are taken;
(5) coordinate the removal of all solid waste and the boarding up of vacant structures;
(6) ensure that environmental health inspections are conducted and that appropriate enforcement actions are taken;
(7) identify opportunities to reduce the occurrence of public nuisances, as defined in Article 19, Subtitle 43 {“Public Nuisances”}, in blighted areas;
(8) ensure that properties located within blighted areas are inspected to identify safety hazards;
(9) ensure that properties where businesses operate with a liquor license are inspected annually; and
(10) perform any other duties as required by the Commissioner of the
Department of Housing and Community Development.
§ 2C-6. Annual report.
On or before June 30 of each year, utilizing evaluation and assessment metrics established under § 2C-5(3) of this subtitle, the Task Force shall submit a report to the Mayor and City Council detailing Task Force actions over the course of the past year and related outcomes.
Section 2. And be it further ordained, That this Ordinance takes effect on the 30th day after the date it is enacted.