Zoning Reform, Without Clear Guardrails, Can Unintentionally Reverse Neighborhood Progress

A recent Baltimore Brew article on Marble Hill is a reminder that zoning reform, without clear guardrails, can unintentionally reverse progress in historic Black neighborhoods.

We believe thoughtful density can help homeowners stay and strengthen communities — but only when the rules are designed to benefit residents, not fuel a new wave of speculation, and only when enforcement is real.

This kind of “gentle density” exists in cities like DC, Philadelphia, and New York, often through accessory units or small conversions. Baltimore can learn from that — especially where other cities pair flexibility with homeowner-focused requirements.

More residents on a block isn’t abstract — it supports local retail, transit, childcare, and helps keep neighborhoods lived-in and stable.

But zoning changes don’t happen in a vacuum. In Baltimore, this becomes a YES when it comes with specific guardrails:

Density without enforcement isn’t progress. Gentle density with guardrails can be.