Baltimore’s inclusionary housing law has created only 37 affordable units in 15 years. City Council wants changes.

Seemingly everyone at the Baltimore City Council meeting Thursday night could agree on one thing: the city’s existing inclusionary housing ordinance isn’t working. Passed in 2007, the law requires developers of market-rate housing to set aside affordable units for people with lower incomes, but it has led to the creation of only 37 affordable units. Instead, developers have paid into an offset fund or sought waivers. Now, the Baltimore City Council is taking another crack at inclusionary housing. A bill proposed by Councilwoman Odette Ramos and co-sponsored by a majority of the council would eliminate the loopholes allowed by the previous law, while also reducing the percentage of affordable units required.