My bill 25-0141 - Rental Dwelling Health and Safety Enforcement Act, will be on 3rd reader at the upcoming City Council meeting on October, 19th. This bill is critical to enforcing our rental laws, as well as streamlining the process to obtain a rental license. It also sets standards for the condition of a rental dwelling, as well as creates a rental inspector licensing requirement. Protecting our residents who are renters is vital, and with this bill we can hold negligent la

On this second week of our Hispanic Heritage Month History Makers series we will be highlighting Sonia Pierre. Sonia Pierre was a human rights activist who was born in 1963 in Villa Altagracia, San Cristobal in the Dominican Republic. Pierre dedicated her life’s work to dismantling anti-Haitian sentiment in the Dominican Republic, and advocating for the rights of Dominican people of Haitian descent. Pierre began her activism at the age of 13, when she organized a five day p

The Public Health and Environment Committee will hold a voting session on Wednesday, September 23rd at 10am, on the Municipal ID Program. During last week's hearing, we learned that the program is expected to launch in the spring of next year. The program is meant to help those who have difficulty obtaining an ID (i.e. unhoused neighbors, students, etc.) and it will ensure access to city services they are entitled to as Baltimore City residents. For more background on this bi

If you are a homeowner and earn an annual income of $60,000 or less, please apply for the Homeowners' Property Tax Credit. It will help to lower your property tax bills. We want our older adults and low-income families to stay in their homes. You must apply for the credit every year, and the deadline is coming up - October 1st! If you need paper copies of the application, please let our office know or you can apply online here.

Join us for the 14th District Golden Future 55+ Fall Seminar this Saturday, September 26th, from 8:30am to 12pm. This is an opportunity to connect with organizations and resources designed to help older adults live safely, independently, confidently and with dignity. Presenters and exhibitors include Civic Works, Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service, St. Ambrose Housing Aid Center, Water4All, and many more, all with information about homeowners' tax credit, home repairs, estate

I am excited to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month! As the first Latina council member in Baltimore City, I want to take this month to honor the trailblazers who came before me, and share their stories. Please join us each week as we take the time to learn about history makers within our community. This week we will be highlighting Rigoberta Menchú Tum. Rigoberta Menchú Tum is a Mayan activist and author who was born in Guatemala in 1959. In her youth, Menchú Tum helped her

Due to accessibility issues, REACH! Partnership School will no longer be a polling site. Please sign up to provide your testimony in support of the former firehouse, Engine 33, at 1749 Gorsuch Avenue to become the new polling site. The Board Meeting will take place Thursday, September 17th at 4pm, at 417 E. Fayette Street, Room 129, Baltimore, MD 21202. To testify in person, please first Request to appear and present your comments in person at the board meeting. To appear, pl

During today's Council Meeting, I will be introducing a bill that will allow Baltimore City's Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to acquire vacant properties through condemnation and rehab them for use. This will be another tool in our arsenal to tackle our city's vacant property crisis. As you may know, we currently have the In Rem process, which is when the liens exceed the assessed value of the property and the city can foreclose on it. Since implement

The Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service is warning anyone who is thinking about selling their property to a “we buy houses” buyer. There are very specific things to consider to ensure you and your family get the best value for your home. Never sign any documents during the first meeting, and compare their offer price to the values of other homes in the area before making any decisions. Also, watch out for red flags that this could be a scam including a rush to sign, very littl