Posted on 05/13/25
| News Source: The Baltimore Banner
Baltimore, MD - May 13, 2025 - (TBB) New Legislation Could Transform Baltimore’s Single-Family Homes into Apartments
Baltimore, MD – May 12, 2025 – A groundbreaking legislative package introduced by the Baltimore City Council, with full backing from Mayor Brandon Scott, could dramatically reshape the city’s residential landscape by allowing single-family homes to be converted into small multifamily units. Under the new proposal, properties with 1,500 to 3,000 square feet could be divided into two to four apartments — a major shift from current zoning laws that permit only single-family use in many neighborhoods.
This bold initiative is part of a broader $3 billion push to revitalize Baltimore’s housing stock and address its staggering number of vacant homes. In addition to loosening density restrictions, the proposed bills would roll back requirements for off-street parking and remove burdensome building code provisions — like the need for two internal staircases in taller buildings — all in an effort to make construction and rehabilitation more feasible.
City leaders frame the legislation as a response to decades of exclusionary zoning policies that limited growth and reinforced racial and economic segregation. Councilman Ryan Dorsey, the primary sponsor, called it “a first, modest step to correcting course,” while Mayor Scott described the plan as necessary to “build smarter, fairer” and grow Baltimore’s population without displacing working families.
The bills are not without opposition. Concerns have been raised about traffic, parking, and quality-of-life impacts in dense neighborhoods like Reservoir Hill. But city officials argue that the current zoning structure is outdated and incompatible with Baltimore’s urgent housing needs. Developers like Rian Hargrave, whose current projects are stalled by zoning limitations, say the changes could unlock significant potential in the city’s large, underutilized homes.
If passed, the legislation could mark a new era in Baltimore’s housing policy—one where a single-family home might no longer house a single family.