Mayor, business and faith leaders say they’re uniting to attack Baltimore’s vacant housing crisis

A crowd of more than 500 people gathered before nightfall Sunday evening, their heads bent for an opening prayer at Memorial Baptist Church. They were urged to contemplate Baltimore City’s vacant housing crisis as they prepared to hear the details of a plan to work on ending it. The Rev. Cristina Paglinauan, of The Church of the Redeemer, asked the crowd to envision residents of Fulton Avenue and Preston Street walking to buy groceries, young kids playing in recreation centers, and residents using park benches, all enjoying a lively neighborhood without a vacant building in sight.