On Thursday, I was invited to the White House to take part in a series of meetings designed to expose federal policymakers to innovative initiatives underway in cities across America. I had the privilege to provide a detailed briefing to senior officials in the Obama Administration on Baltimore's Vacants to Value program. To have the opportunity to showcase our Vacants to Value program to the Obama Administration is a great honor for Baltimore. I am grateful that President Obama encouraged his staff and senior Administration officials to learn about new ideas from America's cities.

Announced last November, Vacants to Value is Baltimore's comprehensive 6-point strategy to reduce blight in city neighborhoods. The initiative seeks to drive growth and reinvestment in Baltimore's neighborhoods by streamlining the sale of vacant city property, strengthening code enforcement efforts to promote rehabilitation, and providing targeted incentives for homebuyers and developers who invest in vacant homes. Last month, Baltimore received a City Livability Award for the Vacants to Value initiative. Baltimore was among 10 cities to be granted the award. The award was announced during the 79th Annual Meeting of The United States Conference of Mayors.

Vacant and abandoned property and blight are not issues unique to Baltimore. Many other great American cities are dealing with this challenge. I am hopeful that my presentation to the White House team and senior administration officials will spark further discussion at the federal level on this critical challenge facing Baltimore and other cities.

For more information about Vacants to Value, visit www.baltimorehousing.org/vacants_to_value.aspx.