Baltimore, MD

Baltimore, MD undertakes a pilot of blockchain technology for vacant property record management

Baltimore seeks accurate records for the ownership of 13,600 vacant residential properties. A partnership with Medici Land Governance will produce a blockchain platform for record gathering and storage. This system enables timely property transfers from owners to the city and buyers. A three-year pilot compares the platform's effectiveness with current documentation methods. Future uses of the technology may include smart contracts for contractors and tokenized property ownership.

BM

Baltimore, MD

United States

Baltimore, MD boosts middle neighborhood development with its City Employee Homeownership Program

Full-time city employees qualify for $5,000 in down payment assistance under the existing program. A one-year enhancement offers $10,000 per approved applicant for home purchases in 205 middle neighborhoods. Participants must contribute at least $1,000 of their own money and complete homeownership counseling certificates. The program is part of a strategy to strengthen stable neighborhoods that includes home repair grants and city service promotion.

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Baltimore, MD

United States

Baltimore, MD creates new paths to employment for squeegee workers with its Squeegee Collaborative

Baltimore's collaboration with community and business groups seeks an empathetic response to squeegee workers. The city maintains a heat map of squeegeeing incidents based on police calls and outreach efforts. Young workers are shifted toward job readiness programs, continuing education, and recreation programs. Navigators work with service providers on comprehensive services for workers ranging from mentoring to mental health treatment.

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Baltimore, MD

United States

Baltimore, MD identifies drug overdose demographics and trends with new dashboard

The dashboard's main page provides an overview of fatal and suspected nonfatal overdoses in recent years. A trends section compares drug overdose deaths in the city to state and federal data from 1999 to 2020. Health officials published findings on the most common groups and substances involved in overdose deaths. Additional dashboard features include a Science of Addiction section, treatment resources, and tips for naloxone administration.

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Baltimore, MD

United States

Baltimore, MD approves hiring and retention bonus for jobs requiring Commercial Driver's Licenses

Baltimore reported 130 vacancies for CDL drivers in its Transportation, Public Works, and General Services departments in March 2023. The city approved a $10,000 bonus for current CDL drivers and new hires to stay competitive in its recruitment efforts. City employees with CDLs receive their bonuses on a quarterly schedule over two years. A fully staffed fleet improves public services including a return to weekly trash and recycling collection.

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Baltimore, MD

United States

Baltimore, MD introduces Data Academy for improved data fluency among city employees

The 2021 Mayor's Action Plan called for creating a citywide data training program. City employees register through the Workday Learning portal for two free courses - Fundamentals of Data Literacy and Interpreting Data with Greater Accuracy and Insight. Each self-paced class is designed for first-time data students and geared toward city-specific tasks. Completed courses lead to certificates recorded in personnel files and a greater understanding of data analytics.

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Baltimore, MD

United States

Baltimore, MD evaluates violence prevention efforts with its Public Safety Accountability Dashboard

The Microsoft Power BI dashboard supports accountability requirements in the Comprehensive Violence Prevention Plan. The Crime Summary tab provides year-to-year comparisons of homicides, violent crimes, and property crimes by neighborhood or police district. Interactive crime and arrest maps track data in both categories back to 2012. The dashboard includes a case disposition graph and a map of Community Violence Intervention partners.

BM

Baltimore, MD

United States