Baltimore is one step away from a new inclusionary housing policy

After a nearly two-year campaign cheered on by housing advocates and policy experts, the Baltimore City Council on Monday night approved an inclusionary housing bill that would compel all major developments to reserve a portion of the units to be rented at reduced prices. Meant to bolster diversity in neighborhoods and increase the stock of affordable units in affluent communities, inclusionary housing policies have been passed in cities and jurisdictions across the country — including in Baltimore, which approved a similar measure in 2005.