In 2012 six community associations partnered with the Community Law Center, The University of Maryland Francis King Carey School and pro bono lawyers from Venable, LLP to come up with a solution to the vacant properties in each of their communities. The six associations, representing communities from across Baltimore are:
- Alliance of Rosemont Community Organizations
- Carrollton Ridge Community Association
- Coldstream-Homestead-Montebello Community Corporation
- Greater Greenmount Community Association
- Mount Clare Community Council
- Operation ReachOut SouthWest
Working together they identified Scott Wizig as being a particularly egregious property owner. He owned about 150 properties in deplorable condition throughout Baltimore, with 57 properties located witiin the boundaries of the six associations.
Using the Community Bill of Rights they brought suit against Wizig and nine LLC he controlled. After lengthy court proceedings which included a transfer of the case to Federal Bankruptcy Court, the case was finally settled requiring Wizig to clean up a number of properties, demolish 34 properties and pay the plaintiffs $85,000.
On December 2, 2015 the community associations used a portion of the lawsuit proceeds to present a $22,500 check to the Community Law Center. Those funds were used to pay, in part, for a Legal Assistant/Community Engagement Coordinator to support the associations in establishing Baltimore RENEW.