Can QR Codes Save Baltimore From Blight?

By Christina Sturdivant Sani ● Housing ● June 13, 2021

What’s happening?

Empty and decaying properties in Baltimore City will now have QR codes on them.

Sounds interesting. Why is this taking place?

Among other reasons, Baltimore City is implementing the new system to call attention to the more than 15,000 vacant properties in communities across the city.

Ok, so what should I do with this information?

Folks who scan the code can get info such as development plans and active notices, as well as contact information for the owner or person responsible for the blighted property.

Noted. Anything else I should know?

Technically Baltimore, which reported the program’s launch, will be tracking a couple things as the initiative moves forward, including: Will people use these QR codes to look up info on vacant houses? And ultimately, is it accessibility to ownership info that prevents the sale of these vacant homes?

You can read the full story here.

Author

Christina Sturdivant Sani

Christina Sturdivant Sani is a writer and editor who has contributed to nearly two dozen publications including Washington Post, the Baltimore Afro-American newspaper, and Bloomberg’s CityLab.

At Bloc by Block News, Christina is responsible for setting and implementing the vision for the cooperative’s editorial initiatives. In this role, she’s intentional about amplifying the voices of people—both writers and subjects—who have historically been silenced by white-led media outlets.

Christina is also a podcast junkie, audiobook lover, coffee shop connoisseur, and proud Washington, D.C. native. She studied print journalism at Hampton University.