The Digital Press

Baltimore significantly undervalues vacant lots for tax assessments, sometimes by as much as half a billion dollars, unintentionally encouraging land speculation and blight. A new report suggests simple, data-driven reforms to better align assessments with market values and promote neighborhood revitalization.

Why it matters: Undervaluing vacant lots subsidizes blight and shifts tax burdens unfairly onto homeowners and businesses.

The big picture: Correcting land assessments could unlock development incentives, stabilize neighborhoods, and improve city finances.

Quick takeaway: A spatially weighted average model using nearby sales data better predicts vacant lot values, reducing undervaluation drastically.

Commenters say: Many highlight the need for land value taxation reforms and improved data, while others debate risks of raising taxes and the complexities of urban development incentives.