Baltimore RENEW was founded to build on the success of six community associations who used the Community Bill of Rights to file a lawsuit against Scott Wizig, the owner of 57 vacant properties within the boundaries of the associations. Working with the Community Law Center, the University of Maryland School of Law and pro bono lawyers from Venable, LLP the associations sought and won injunctive relief and a judgment against Mr. Wizig and his numerous LLCs.
The links below (most recent first) are news accounts of Baltimore RENEW, of the work done by Baltimore RENEW’s members prior to its formation and of issues relevant to Baltimore RENEW’s work.
- ‘Vulture capital’ firm preys on Baltimore
The Baltimore Sun-Mar 27, 2017 (Op-ed by John Bullock & Kristerfer Burnett) - New program aimed at old Baltimore vacants problem gets slow start
The Baltimore Sun-Sep 24, 2016 - Community-Led Code Enforcement: Empowering Communities to Reverse the Tide of Disinvestment
Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law, Clearinghouse Community-Sept 2016 - Battling Baltimore vacants, whether owned by speculators or the city
Baltimore Brew-Jul 22, 2016 - Baltimore RENEW wants vacant buildings gone
ABC2 News-May 10, 2016 - You don’t see this every day: Tree growing right through vacant Baltimore building
ABC2 News-Apr 23, 2016 - Community Law Center receives $22K donation from clients
Maryland Daily Record-Dec 2, 2015 - The Problem with Vacants-to-Value
The Baltimore Sun-Nov 17, 2015 - Houston’s Scott Wizig Agrees to Fix Blighted Baltimore Properties; We Patiently Wait for Hell to Freeze Over
Houston Press-Aug 25, 2015 - Neighborhoods settle lawsuit against Houston slumlord
Baltimore City Paper-Aug 21, 2015 - Lawsuit against Texas owner of vacant, blighted houses settled
Baltimore Brew-Aug 21, 2015 - Community groups reach settlement over Wizig vacants
The Baltimore Sun-Aug 20, 2015 - Case Against Vacant Slumlord Now In Federal Court
WYPR-Jun 26, 2015 - Baltimore Landlord Halts Blight Suit With Bankruptcy Filing
The Wall Street Journal-Nov 21, 2014 - Scott Wizig’s Shell Companies File for Bankruptcy in Baltimore
Houston Press-Nov 19, 2014 - Selling Homes, Ruining Lives: Getting Rich in Real Estate the Scott Wizig Way
Houston Press-Nov 18, 2014 - Community Groups Win a Victory over Slumlords
WYPR-Sep 22, 2014 - Baltimore Judge Scolds Houston Property Owner Scott Wizig for “Unsafe, Uninhabitable” Homes
Houston Press-Aug 14,2014 - Court orders clean-up at vacant properties
The Baltimore Sun-Aug 12, 2014 - As community groups sue out-of-town property owner, some ask, where was the city?
Baltimore Brew-May 2, 2013 - The Man Behind the Curtain
City Paper-Oct 6, 2004