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<baltimore-city-law heading="Article I – General Provisions">
  <section prefix="§" num="1" heading="Corporate entity.">
    <text>The inhabitants of the City of Baltimore are a corporation, by the name of the “Mayor and City Council of Baltimore,” and by that name shall have perpetual succession, may sue and be sued, may purchase and hold real, personal and mixed property and dispose of the same for the benefit of the City, as herein provided, and may have and use a common seal, which may be altered at pleasure.</text>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="2" heading="Definitions.">
    <text>As used in this Charter, unless the context otherwise requires:</text>
    <para num="(a)" heading="City.">“City” means the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, the body corporate as established by &lt;cite data-path="I|§1"&gt;Section 1 of this Article I&lt;/cite&gt;.</para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Voter.">“Voter” means any person whose name appears on the election records kept by the Board of Supervisors of Elections of Baltimore City, as a qualified voter in the City.</para>
    <para num="(c)" heading="Charter.">“Charter” means this Charter, composed of Articles &lt;cite data-path="I"&gt;I&lt;/cite&gt; to &lt;cite data-path="IX"&gt;IX&lt;/cite&gt;, inclusive, and any amendments and additions thereto which may hereafter be duly adopted; reference herein to articles and sections by number are references to articles and sections of the Charter.</para>
    <para num="(d)" heading="Person.">“Person” means any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, company, association, or body politic except the City; and includes any personal representative, agent, trustee, receiver, assignee or other similar representative thereof.</para>
    <para num="(e)" heading="Number; Gender.">Except where such construction would be unreasonable, the singular always includes the plural, and vice versa, and the masculine includes all genders.</para>
    <para num="(f)" heading="Officer; Municipal officer.">“Officer” and “municipal officer” shall include, but shall not be limited to, the City Administrator, the heads of all departments and bureaus, the members of all commissions and boards, and persons who exercise authority comparable to that of heads of departments or bureaus.</para>
    <para num="(g)" heading="Term of office.">“Term of office” means the period of time for which any person shall have been elected or appointed to hold office, and in addition such time as shall elapse after the expiration of his term until his successor shall have been elected or appointed and qualified.</para>
    <para num="(h)" heading="Ordinance of Estimates.">“Ordinance of Estimates” and “annual Ordinance of Estimates” shall include supplementary appropriation ordinances.</para>
    <para num="(i)" heading="Subject to the authority.">“Subject to the authority” shall mean that the person or body possessed of such authority may amend or revoke the action or decision subject to such authority or reserve to himself or itself such action or decision.</para>
    <para num="(j)" heading="Municipal agency.">“Municipal agency” shall include all departments, bureaus, boards and commissions and persons not embraced in a department who exercise authority comparable to that of heads of departments or bureaus.</para>
    <para num="(k)" heading="Street.">“Street”, unless the contrary clearly appears from the context, shall include any public street, boulevard, road, alley, lane, sidewalk, footway or other public way owned by the city or habitually used as such by the public.</para>
    <para num="(l)" heading="Members.">Wherever provision is made in the Charter that the City Council shall act by a majority or other proportion of its members, the term “members” in the phrase “of its members” shall mean the total number of members provided for by law, including the President, whether or not any vacancies due to death, resignation, disqualification or other cause may then exist.</para>
    <para num="(m)" heading="Headings.">Any headings preceding the text of the several articles and sections hereof are inserted solely for convenience of reference, and shall not constitute a part of the Charter, nor shall they affect its meaning, construction or effect.</para>
    <para num="(n)" heading="Acting.">“Acting” status authorizes one who is substituting for another to exercise the powers and perform the duties of the other’s office.</para>
    <para num="(o)" heading="Law.">“Law” consists of those rules that bind or control the actions of Baltimore City and its officers and agents, including, when applicable, federal law, state law and city ordinances.</para>
    <annotation type="History">Res. 20-026, ratified Nov. 3, 2020, eff. July 1, 2021</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="3" heading="Property rights; Trusts; Gifts.">
    <text>All the property and franchises of every kind belonging to, in the possession of, or hereafter acquired by the City are vested in it and it may dispose of any property belonging to it in the manner and upon the terms provided in the Charter.</text>
    <text>The City may receive in trust, and may control for the purposes of such trust, all moneys and assets which may have been or shall be bestowed upon it by will, deed or any other form of gift or conveyance in trust for any corporate purpose, or in aid of the indigent poor, or for the general purposes of education or for charitable purposes of any description.  All trust funds now held or subsequently received shall be administered with respect to investment and reinvestment, subject to any limitations in the trust, by the Board of Finance.</text>
    <text>The City may also accept grants for its corporate purposes from any government, governmental agency or person.</text>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="4" heading="Condemnation interests.">
    <text>Whenever the City shall condemn any land for any public or municipal purpose, in all cases the absolute and unqualified fee simple title to such land, or, when the proceeding is in personam, all the right, title and interest of the owner or owners who are made parties to the proceeding, if they should not be the owners of the entire fee simple title, shall be condemned and acquired; so that neither the land nor any interest therein, shall under any circumstances revert to the person or persons who shall be the owners thereof at the time of the condemnation, or who shall be parties to the proceeding in personam, nor to any person or persons claiming under him, her or them; provided, however, that when the condemnation shall be provided for by ordinance, the City may determine, and in the ordinance providing for the condemnation declare, that an interest, less than the fee simple interest, for a fixed and limited period of time, or some other limited interest, will suffice for the purpose or purposes for which the property is to be acquired, and under such circumstances, only such interest shall be condemned and acquired.</text>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="5" heading="Uniform application throughout City; Public ways.">
    <text>The Charter shall apply in every section of Baltimore City without distinction because of the date at which it became a part of the City, and all existing streets, avenues, roads, alleys and bridges within the City, heretofore dedicated and accepted or condemned or otherwise established as roads or streets by any then proper public authority, are in all respects validly constituted public streets and highways of the City.</text>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="6" heading="Uniform taxation.">
    <text>The taxes levied by the City with respect to ownership of the same class of property or property rights, shall be uniform in rate throughout the entire City.</text>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="7" heading="Records; Reports.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="Required maintenance; Admissibility; Public inspection.">A suitable record of all the proceedings, financial transactions and official acts of all municipal agencies, shall be kept, and a certified copy of the record, or any part thereof, under the corporate seal of the City shall be admissible in evidence in any court of this State as proof of such record, or a part thereof.  A record shall be available for public inspection unless otherwise expressly ordered by the head of the agency or the municipal officer by or on behalf of whom the record is kept; and in the event that written demand shall be made for the public disclosure of any matter deemed confidential by the head of an agency or by a municipal officer, the demand shall at once be referred to the Board of Estimates and the Board, after consultation with the City Solicitor as to the legal propriety of its action, may order the demanded disclosure to be made in whole or in part.</para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Microfilm, etc.">The City may provide by ordinance for the making and keeping of all or some records on microfilm or by other method of reproduction and, when so made, for the destruction of the original records.  Any such reproduction or print therefrom shall be in all respects the equivalent of the original from which made, and when authenticated as above provided shall be admissible in evidence in any court of this State as proof of that record, or part thereof.</para>
    <para num="(c)" heading="Annual report; Other information.">
      <para num="(1)">Unless otherwise directed by the Board of Estimates, every municipal agency of the City shall prepare annually a written report of its work and proceedings.  A copy of each report shall be filed with the Mayor and the City Administrator, and a copy shall also be filed with the Department of Legislative Reference; additional copies of each report, or parts thereof, shall be prepared and made available as from time to time may be directed by the Board of Estimates.</para>
      <para num="(2)">Upon request of the Mayor, the City Administrator, or Board of Estimates every municipal agency shall promptly supply the Mayor, the City Administrator, or the Board with all requested information with respect to the practice and proceedings of the agency; provided, however, that this information need not be given with respect to any undetermined policy or opinion, nor shall the Board of Municipal and Zoning Appeals make any disclosure as to any pending appeal other than to furnish a copy of the testimony and papers filed with it pertaining to that appeal.</para>
    </para>
    <annotation type="History">Res. 20-026, ratified Nov. 3, 2020, eff. July 1, 2021</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="8" heading="Official time.">
    <text>The official time of the City of Baltimore shall conform to standard time based upon the time of the seventy-fifth meridian, except that, from two o’clock a.m. of the last Sunday in April until two o’clock a.m. of the last Sunday in September of each year, the official time throughout the City of Baltimore shall be advanced one hour, and all courts, public offices, legal and official proceedings, insofar as the same are subject to or under the control of the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, shall be regulated thereby, and all time shown by the public clocks shall agree therewith.  Provided, however, that the Mayor and City Council by ordinance passed not less than fifteen days before the change would become effective, may extend the period during which the one hour variation from standard time shall be effective in any year or years.  The extension may be to change the advance in time up to two o’clock a.m. on the last Sunday in March, or back to two o’clock a.m. on the last Sunday in October, or both such changes, or any portion or portions of either.  Any such extension may be provided only if other municipalities or sections of the United States shall have made such a change, and in the opinion of the Mayor and City Council thereby have caused inconvenience and annoyance to the commercial, economic, industrial or social affairs of the residents of Baltimore City.</text>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="9" heading="Inner Harbor Park.">
    <text>There is hereby dedicated to public park uses for the benefit of this and future generations of the City of Baltimore and the State of Maryland the portion of the City that lies along the north, west and south shores of the Inner Harbor, south of Pratt Street to the water’s edge, east of Light Street to the water’s edge and north of Key Highway to the water’s edge, from the World Trade Center around the shoreline of the Inner Harbor to and including Rash Field, except that, in order to provide multi-family dwellings and off-street parking, eating places and other commercial uses, areas totalling not more than 4.5 acres plus access thereto, within the dedicated space and north of an easterly extension of the south side of Conway Street shall be set aside for such purposes, except that any areas used for multi-family dwellings and off-street parking are not dedicated as a public park; and except that in order to provide outdoor eating places for the areas known as West Shore Park and Rash Field, areas totalling not more than 0.5 acres within the dedicated space and south of an easterly extension of the south side of Conway Street shall be set aside for such purposes; and except that an area of not more than 3.4 acres shall be set aside for use by the Maryland Science Center, plus access thereto.</text>
    <annotation type="Editor's Notes">
          Ordinance 24-318, known as Ballot Question F, which was ratified on November 5, 2024, enlarged the permitted acreage for development within Inner Harbor Park from 3.2 to 4.5 acres. In addition, the Ordinance added multi-family dwellings and off-street parking to the list of permitted uses within this development space, but any land occupied by those two uses would no longer be part of the public park. Section 2 of the Ordinance states “[t]hat in enacting this Resolution of the Mayor and City Council, it is the intent of the Mayor and City Council to preserve the public park known as Rash Field and to preserve the existing development restrictions within the Inner Harbor Park south of Conway Street.”
          &lt;strong&gt;Litigation related to Ballot Question F.&lt;/strong&gt; A group of 23 Baltimore City voters filed a petition for judicial review of Ballot Question F in the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County alleging that Ballot Question F was invalid because (1) it was improper “charter material” in violation of &lt;cite data-doc="Md. Const." data-path="XI-A|§3"&gt;Article XI-A, § 3 of the Constitution of Maryland&lt;/cite&gt; and (2) the language of the question was not “easily understandable by voters” in violation of § 9-203(1) of the State Election Law Article, in addition to other claims. After the circuit court found that the measure could be included on the ballot but the votes for or against it could not be certified, the decision was appealed to the Maryland Supreme Court. The Supreme Court of Maryland issued a per curium order dated October 10, 2024, permitting the votes for or against Question F to be counted and certified.
        </annotation>
    <annotation type="History">Res. 16-029, ratified Nov. 8, 2016</annotation>
    <annotation type="History" />
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="10" heading="Affordable housing funds.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="Authorization.">By Ordinance, the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore may establish 1 or more continuing, nonlapsing funds for purposes of promoting economically diverse housing in City neighborhoods, including:<para num="(1)">providing assistance, by loan, grant, or otherwise, for the planning, production, maintenance, or expansion of affordable housing in the City;</para>
      <para num="(2)">providing assistance, by loan, grant, or otherwise, to persons unable to obtain affordable housing; and</para>
      <para num="(3)">otherwise increasing housing opportunities for working families and other persons of low and moderate income.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Revenue sources.">A fund established under &lt;cite data-path="I|§10"&gt;this section&lt;/cite&gt; may comprise:<para num="(1)">money appropriated to the fund  in the annual Ordinances of Estimates; and</para>
      <para num="(2)">grants or donations made to the fund.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(c)" heading="Continuing nature of fund.">Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter, unspent portions of a fund established under &lt;cite data-path="I|§10"&gt;this section&lt;/cite&gt;:<para num="(1)">remain in the fund, to be used exclusively for their ordained purposes;</para>
      <para num="(2)">do not revert to the general revenues of the City; and</para>
      <para num="(3)">their appropriations do not lapse.</para>
    </para>
    <annotation type="History">Res. 06-015, ratified Nov. 7, 2006</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="11" heading="Sustainability and related funds.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="Authorization.">By Ordinance, the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore may establish 1 or more continuing, nonlapsing funds for purposes of promoting sustainability, maintaining and establishing parks and other open spaces, and cleaning and preserving the natural environment within the City of Baltimore, including:<para num="(1)">supporting the activities of a City office of sustainability and of other offices necessary or appropriate for these purposes and goals;</para>
      <para num="(2)">performing educational outreach on these purposes and goals;</para>
      <para num="(3)">providing assistance by loan, grant, or otherwise to individuals and organizations undertaking activities to further these purposes and goals; and</para>
      <para num="(4)">conducting research to advance theses purposes and goals.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Revenue sources.">A fund established under &lt;cite data-path="I|§11"&gt;this section&lt;/cite&gt; may comprise:<para num="(1)">money appropriated to the fund  in the annual Ordinances of Estimates; and</para>
      <para num="(2)">grants or donations made to the fund.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(c)" heading="Continuing nature of fund.">Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter, unspent portions of a fund established under &lt;cite data-path="I|§11"&gt;this section&lt;/cite&gt;:<para num="(1)">remain in the fund, to be used exclusively for their ordained purposes;</para>
      <para num="(2)">do not revert to the general revenues of the City; and</para>
      <para num="(3)">their appropriations do not lapse.</para>
    </para>
    <annotation type="History">Res. 10-021, ratified Nov. 2, 2010</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="12" heading="Special funds for education.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="Authorization.">
      <para num="(1)">By Ordinance, the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore may establish 1 or more continuing, nonlapsing funds for purposes of enhancing the educational environment in Baltimore City by creating modern, state-of-the-art schools.</para>
      <para num="(2)">These purposes include supporting and augmenting programs and activities of the Baltimore City Public School System that are designed to:<para num="(i)">increase new school construction;</para>
        <para num="(ii)">renovate and improve existing City school building;</para>
        <para num="(iii)">renew athletic facilities and provide recreational equipment and supplies; and</para>
        <para num="(iv)">modernize education-related equipment and supplies.</para>
      </para>
    </para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Revenue sources.">A fund established under &lt;cite data-path="I|§12"&gt;this section&lt;/cite&gt; may comprise:<para num="(1)">money appropriated to the fund  in the annual Ordinances of Estimates; and</para>
      <para num="(2)">grants or donations made to the fund.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(c)" heading="Continuing nature of fund.">Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter, unspent portions of a fund established under &lt;cite data-path="I|§12"&gt;this section&lt;/cite&gt;:<para num="(1)">remain in the fund, to be used exclusively for their ordained purposes;</para>
      <para num="(2)">do not revert to the general revenues of the City; and</para>
      <para num="(3)">their appropriations do not lapse.</para>
    </para>
    <annotation type="History">Res. 11-032, ratified Nov. 9, 2011</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="13" heading="Children and Youth Fund.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="Fund established; Scope.">
      <para num="(1)">There is a continuing, nonlapsing Baltimore City Children and Youth Fund, to be used exclusively for purposes of establishing new and augmenting existing programs for and services to the children and youth of this City.</para>
      <para num="(2)">These programs and services must be from among those designed to:<para num="(i)">ensure that Baltimore’s children and youth are healthy, are ready to learn and succeed in school, and live in stable, safe, and supportive families and communities;</para>
        <para num="(ii)">ensure that Baltimore City supports families as an important part of the City population and civic culture;</para>
        <para num="(iii)">focus on the prevention of problems and on supporting and enhancing the strengths of children, youth, and their families;</para>
        <para num="(iv)">complement the City’s community development efforts;</para>
        <para num="(v)">strengthen community-based networks of recreation and after-school services in all neighborhoods; and</para>
        <para num="(vi)">ensure that children and youth with the highest needs receive maximum benefit from the Fund.</para>
      </para>
      <para num="(3)">The Fund shall be administered in accordance with the following standards:<para num="(i)">programs and services shall be provided and funds allocated based on best practices and successful and innovative models;</para>
        <para num="(ii)">to the maximum extent feasible, funds shall be allocated equitably among services for all age groups – from infancy to transitional-aged youth;</para>
        <para num="(iii)">programs and services shall be gender-responsive and culturally competent; and</para>
        <para num="(iv)">programs and services shall be designed to strengthen collaboration among service providers for children, youth, and their families, including collaboration among public agencies and non-profit organizations.</para>
      </para>
    </para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Limitations on use.">The Children and Youth Fund may not be used to substitute for or replace funding for children and youth programs or services provided in the Ordinance of Estimates for Fiscal Year 2017, except to the extent that federal, state, or private agency funds for those programs or services have since been discontinued.</para>
    <para num="(c)" heading="Revenue sources.">The Children and Youth Fund shall comprise:<para num="(1)">a mandatory annual appropriation in the Ordinance of Estimates of an amount  equal to at least $0.03 on every $100 of assessed or assessable value of all property in the City of Baltimore (except property exempt by law); and</para>
      <para num="(2)">grants and donations made to the Fund.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(d)" heading="Continuing nature of Fund.">Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter, unspent portions of the Children and Youth Fund:<para num="(1)">remain in the Fund, to be used exclusively for its specified purposes;</para>
      <para num="(2)">do not revert to the general revenues of the City; and</para>
      <para num="(3)">their appropriations do not lapse.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(e)" heading="Implementation.">By Ordinance, the Mayor and City Council shall provide for the oversight, governance, and administration of the Children and Youth Fund, including:<para num="(1)">methods and criteria for identifying specific program and services eligible for funding by the Fund;</para>
      <para num="(2)">methods and criteria for allocating available funds among eligible programs and services; and</para>
      <para num="(3)">the establishment of any other legislative or administrative rules, regulations, or standards, consistent with &lt;cite data-path="I|§13"&gt;this section&lt;/cite&gt;, governing the Fund, its operations, and programs and services funded by it.</para>
    </para>
    <annotation type="History">Res. 16-026, ratified Nov. 8, 2016</annotation>
    <annotation type="Editor's Notes">For statutory requirements governing the proposal, adoption, and publication of administrative rules and regulations, see General Provisions Article, Title 4 {“Administrative Procedure Act – Regulations”}.</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="14" heading="Affordable housing trust fund.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="Fund established: scope.">There is a continuing, nonlapsing fund to be used to promote fair housing in neighborhoods throughout Baltimore, develop and preserve affordable housing for renters and homeowners, and increase affordable housing opportunities for low-income working families and other persons of low income, including:<para num="(1)">providing assistance, by loan, grant, rental subsidy, or otherwise, for the planning, production, maintenance, or expansion of affordable housing, including inclusionary housing;</para>
      <para num="(2)">providing predevelopment activities for the acquisition, development, new construction, rehabilitation, and/or restoration of affordable housing;</para>
      <para num="(3)">providing capital and operating assistance for the creation of community land trusts that will develop, own, or operate permanently affordable rental housing and assist low income residents to build a path to homeownership;</para>
      <para num="(4)">providing affordable and fair-housing related services to low income households to assist them in obtaining housing and remaining stably housed, provided such uses shall not exceed 30% of the funds allocated in a given fiscal year; and</para>
      <para num="(5)">providing administrative and planning costs for the operation of the trust fund, provided such uses may not exceed 5% of the funds allocated each fiscal year.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Revenue sources.">A fund established under &lt;cite data-path="I|§14"&gt;this section&lt;/cite&gt; may comprise:<para num="(1)">money appropriated to the fund in the annual Ordinance of Estimates;</para>
      <para num="(2)">grants or donations made to the fund;</para>
      <para num="(3)">mandatory or voluntary payments made pursuant to the development policies established by ordinance;</para>
      <para num="(4)">a portion of the tax increment financing revenue from increased property tax receipts for the development of affordable housing inside the project area and special taxing district, or in other locations as permitted by law; and</para>
      <para num="(5)">other sources as established by ordinance.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(c)" heading="Continuing nature of fund.">Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter, unspent portions of a fund established under &lt;cite data-path="I|§14"&gt;this section&lt;/cite&gt;, repayments of principal and interest on loans provided from the fund, and interest earned from the deposit or investment of monies from the fund:<para num="(1)">shall remain in the fund, to be used exclusively for the purposes set forth in &lt;cite data-path="I|§14|(a)"&gt;section 14(a) of this article&lt;/cite&gt;&lt;em&gt; {&lt;cite data-path="I|§14|(a)"&gt;subsection (a) of this section&lt;/cite&gt;}&lt;/em&gt;;</para>
      <para num="(2)">do not revert to the general revenues of the City; and</para>
      <para num="(3)">any appropriations do not lapse.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(d)" heading="Administration and oversight.">
      <para num="(1)" heading="In general.">The trust fund shall be:<para num="(i)">administered by &lt;em&gt;{the} &lt;/em&gt;Baltimore City &lt;em&gt;{Department of} &lt;/em&gt;Housing and Community Development; and</para>
        <para num="(ii)">overseen by a Commission, the members of which shall be appointed, must be confirmed, and shall serve pursuant to &lt;cite data-path="IV|§6"&gt;Article IV, Section 6&lt;/cite&gt;&lt;em&gt;{, of this Charter}&lt;/em&gt;.</para>
      </para>
      <para num="(2)" heading="Commission composition - in general.">The Commission shall include:<para num="(i)">a member appointed by the Mayor with experience in the fields of housing, community development, planning, social services, or public health;</para>
        <para num="(ii)">a member of the lending community with experience in community development and affordable housing finance;</para>
        <para num="(iii)">the Baltimore City Housing Commissioner or his/her designee;</para>
        <para num="(iv)">a resident who rents his/her home and who lives in a household that is extremely low income (i.e., no more than 30% of Area Median Income);</para>
        <para num="(v)">a resident who owns his/her home and who lives in a household that is very low income (i.e., no more than 50% of Area Median Income);</para>
        <para num="(vi)">a homeowner who received assistance through an affordable homeownership program;</para>
        <para num="(vii)">a resident who has received rental assistance;</para>
        <para num="(viii)">a social service provider;</para>
        <para num="(ix)">a representative of the Homeless Services Board;</para>
        <para num="(x)">a low-income-housing and/or fair-housing advocate;</para>
        <para num="(xi)">a nonprofit affordable housing developer;</para>
        <para num="(xii)">a representative of a homebuilders or realtors association of Baltimore; and</para>
        <para num="(xiii)">such different or additional members as may be designated by ordinance.</para>
      </para>
      <para num="(3)" heading="Commission composition - income requirements for at least 4 of members.">Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, the composition of the Commission shall be comprised of &lt;em&gt;{shall comprise}&lt;/em&gt; at least 4 residents of Baltimore City whose incomes are reflective of those individuals who will be assisted by the expenditures of this trust fund.</para>
      <para num="(4)" heading="Commission President.">The Mayor shall designate one member of the Board as its President and may withdraw that designation and so designate another member.</para>
      <para num="(5)" heading="Commission duties.">The Commission shall:<para num="(i)">make recommendations, advise, and consult with the Department of Housing and Community Development regarding the establishment of essential policies, rules, and regulations relating to the implementation, expenditures, and ongoing operation of the trust fund;</para>
        <para num="(ii)">submit an annual report to the Mayor and City Council on the activities and usage of the funds in the trust fund, including tenure (rental and homeownership), income level served, &lt;em&gt;{and} &lt;/em&gt;unit size (number of bedrooms), and make the report available to the public;</para>
        <para num="(iii)">if necessary, recommend changes to the trust fund to maximize affordability outcomes of the trust fund, to the Mayor and City Council;</para>
        <para num="(iv)">ensure an audit of the fund every four years by a certified public accounting firm; and</para>
        <para num="(v)">exercise any additional duty related to the trust fund as directed by the Mayor and City Council.</para>
      </para>
    </para>
    <para num="(e)" heading="Income targeting.">
      <para num="(1)">All assistance provided by the trust fund shall serve very low income households.</para>
      <para num="(2)">At least half of the assistance in any three-year period must serve extremely low income households.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(f)" heading="Minimum affordability periods.">
      <para num="(1)">All rental housing assisted by the trust fund must have a minimum affordability period of at least 30 years.</para>
      <para num="(2)">All homeownership housing assisted by the trust fund must meet affordability criteria based in part on the amount of trust fund monies invested in the unit.</para>
    </para>
    <annotation type="History">Initiative “Question J”, ratified Nov. 8, 2016</annotation>
    <annotation type="Editor's Notes">For statutory requirements governing the proposal, adoption, and publication of administrative rules and regulations, see General Provisions Article, Title 4 {“Administrative Procedure Act – Regulations”}.</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="15" heading="Special fund for fair elections.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="Authorization.">
      <para num="(1)">By Ordinance, the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore may establish a continuing, nonlapsing fund for purposes of encouraging fair elections by administering a public financing option for political campaigns for Baltimore City elected offices.</para>
      <para num="(2)">These purposes include:<para num="(i)">providing direct funding to candidates for public office who meet certain qualifications;</para>
        <para num="(ii)">providing technical assistance and training to individuals seeking to make use of public campaign funding;</para>
        <para num="(iii)">publicizing the availability of public campaign funding; and</para>
        <para num="(iv)">administering a public campaign funding program.</para>
      </para>
    </para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Baltimore City Fair Election Fund Commission.">
      <para num="(1)">The fund is administered by the Baltimore City Fair Election Fund Commission, and no funds may be dispersed from the fund without authorization by that Commission.</para>
      <para num="(2)">The  Baltimore City Fair Election Fund Commission consists of 11 members, including:<para num="(i)">2 members appointed by the Mayor;</para>
        <para num="(ii)">3 members representing organizations focused on government reform, appointed by the Mayor;</para>
        <para num="(iii)">1 member representing an organization advocating for the interests of City business owners, appointed by the Mayor; and</para>
        <para num="(iv)">5 members appointed by the President of the City Council.</para>
      </para>
      <para num="(3)">Each member of the Commission must:<para num="(i)">be a resident of the City of Baltimore;</para>
        <para num="(ii)">not be a candidate for public office;</para>
        <para num="(iii)">not be a lobbyist required to register with the City;</para>
        <para num="(iv)">not be the chair or treasurer for an open campaign account;</para>
        <para num="(v)">be a registered voter; and</para>
        <para num="(vi)">be confirmed by the City Council.</para>
      </para>
      <para num="(4)">The term of a member of the Commission is:<para num="(i)">for the members of the initial Commission appointed by the President of the City Council, 6 years beginning on May 1, 2019;</para>
        <para num="(ii)">for all other members of the initial Commission, 4 years beginning on May 1, 2019; and</para>
        <para num="(iii)">for all members appointed to a full term after May 1, 2019, 4 years from the expiration of their predecessor’s appointment.</para>
      </para>
      <para num="(5)">A vacancy arising during a term shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment and shall be filled for the remainder of the  predecessor’s term.</para>
      <para num="(6)">The Commission shall elect a Chairperson and a Vice Chairperson from its members.</para>
      <para num="(7)">A Commission member shall not receive compensation for service on the Commission, but may be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary expenses as provided in the Ordinance of Estimates.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(c)" heading="Revenue sources.">The fund established under &lt;cite data-path="I|§15"&gt;this section&lt;/cite&gt; may consist of:<para num="(1)">money appropriated to the fund in the annual Ordinances of Estimates;</para>
      <para num="(2)">grants or donations made to the fund; and</para>
      <para num="(3)">proceeds from fines, fees, surcharges, or other revenues dedicated to the fund by Ordinance.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(d)" heading="Continuing nature of fund.">Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter, unspent portions of the fund established under &lt;cite data-path="I|§15"&gt;this section&lt;/cite&gt;:<para num="(1)">remain in the fund, to be used exclusively for their ordained purposes;</para>
      <para num="(2)">do not revert to the general revenues of the City; and</para>
      <para num="(3)">their appropriations do not lapse.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(e)" heading="Implementation.">By Ordinance, the Mayor and City Council shall provide for the oversight, governance, and administration of the Fair Election Fund, including:<para num="(1)">qualifications of candidates eligible for funding from the Fund;</para>
      <para num="(2)">methods and criteria for allocating available funds among eligible programs or candidates; and</para>
      <para num="(3)">the establishment of any other legislative or administrative rules, regulations, or standards, consistent with &lt;cite data-path="I|§15"&gt;this section&lt;/cite&gt;, governing the Fund, its operations, and programs, services, and candidates funded by it.</para>
    </para>
    <annotation type="History">Res. 18-009, ratified Nov. 6, 2018</annotation>
    <annotation type="Editor's Notes">For statutory requirements governing the proposal, adoption, and publication of administrative rules and regulations, see General Provisions Article, Title 4 {“Administrative Procedure Act – Regulations”}.</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="16" heading="Special fund for equity assistance.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="Authorization.">
      <para num="(1)">By Ordinance, the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore may establish a continuing, nonlapsing fund for purposes of assisting efforts that reduce inequity based on race, gender, or economic status in Baltimore.</para>
      <para num="(2)">These purposes include supporting and augmenting programs and activities that are designed to:<para num="(i)">provide equity in housing;</para>
        <para num="(ii)">provide equitable access to education;</para>
        <para num="(iii)">assist efforts to redress past inequities in City capital budget spending; and</para>
        <para num="(iv)">eliminating structural and institutional racism and other forms of discrimination based on immutable characteristics.</para>
      </para>
    </para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Revenue sources.">The fund established under &lt;cite data-path="I|§16"&gt;this section&lt;/cite&gt; may consist of:<para num="(1)">money appropriated to the fund in the annual Ordinance of Estimates;</para>
      <para num="(2)">grants or donations made to the fund; and</para>
      <para num="(3)">proceeds from fines, fees, surcharges, or other revenues dedicated to the fund by ordinance.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(c)" heading="Continuing nature of fund.">Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter, unspent portions of the fund established under &lt;cite data-path="I|§16"&gt;this section&lt;/cite&gt;:<para num="(1)">remain in the fund, to be used exclusively for their ordained purposes;</para>
      <para num="(2)">do not revert to the general revenues of the City; and</para>
      <para num="(3)">their appropriations do not lapse.</para>
    </para>
    <annotation type="History">Res. 18-014, ratified Nov. 6, 2018</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="17" heading="Supplementary criminal apprehension and conviction fund.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="Fund established; Scope.">There is a continuing, nonlapsing  Supplementary Criminal Apprehension and Conviction Fund, to be used exclusively for purposes of supplementing rewards offered to the public from time to time by the Baltimore Police Department or a non-profit organization for the successful apprehension, arrest, and conviction of criminal suspects.</para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Limitations on use.">The  Supplementary Criminal Apprehension and Conviction Fund:<para num="(1)">shall only be used to supplement rewards; and</para>
      <para num="(2)">may not be used to substitute for or replace existing funding for rewards provided by the Baltimore Police Department or any non-profit organizations as described in &lt;cite data-path="I|§17|(a)"&gt;subsection (a) of this section&lt;/cite&gt;.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(c)" heading="Revenue sources.">The fund established under &lt;cite data-path="I|§17"&gt;this section&lt;/cite&gt; may consist of:<para num="(1)">money appropriated to the fund in the annual Ordinance of Estimates; and</para>
      <para num="(2)">grants or donations made to the fund.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(d)" heading="Continuing nature of fund.">Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter, unspent portions of the fund established under &lt;cite data-path="I|§17"&gt;this section&lt;/cite&gt;:<para num="(1)">remain in the fund, to be used exclusively for their ordained purposes;</para>
      <para num="(2)">do not revert to the general revenues of the City; and</para>
      <para num="(3)">their appropriations do not lapse.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(e)" heading="Implementation.">By Ordinance, the Mayor and City Council may provide for the oversight, governance, and administration of the fund described in &lt;cite data-path="I|§17"&gt;this section&lt;/cite&gt;.</para>
    <annotation type="History">Res. 22-001, ratified Nov. 8, 2022</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="19" heading="Dante Barksdale career technology apprenticeship fund.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="Definitions.">
      <para num="(1)" heading="In general.">In &lt;cite data-path="I|§19"&gt;this section&lt;/cite&gt;, the following terms have the meanings indicated.</para>
      <para num="(2)" heading="Apprenticeship training program.">“Apprenticeship training program” means an apprenticeship training program located in Baltimore City that is registered with and approved by the Maryland Apprenticeship and Training Council or the U.S. Department of Labor.</para>
      <para num="(3)" heading="Covered craft.">“Covered craft” means a classification of workers listed in the prevailing wage determination applicable to the covered project.</para>
      <para num="(4)" heading="Covered project.">“Covered project” means a project for the construction of a public work that is valued at $500,000 or more.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Authorization.">By Ordinance, the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore may establish a continuing, nonlapsing fund for purposes of promoting Baltimore City pre-apprenticeship programs and other workforce development programs in Baltimore City's public secondary schools and community colleges that assist students in preparing for and entering apprenticeship training programs.</para>
    <para num="(c)" heading="Revenue sources.">The fund established under &lt;cite data-path="I|§19"&gt;this section&lt;/cite&gt; shall comprise:<para num="(1)">money appropriated to the fund in the annual Ordinance of Estimates; and</para>
      <para num="(2)">grants or donations made to the fund; and</para>
      <para num="(3)">proceeds from fines, fees, surcharges, or other revenues dedicated to the fund by Ordinance.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(d)" heading="Continuing nature of fund.">Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter, unspent portions of the fund established under &lt;cite data-path="I|§19"&gt;this section&lt;/cite&gt;:<para num="(1)">remain in the fund, to be used exclusively for their ordained purposes;</para>
      <para num="(2)">do not revert to the general revenues of the City; and</para>
      <para num="(3)">their appropriations do not lapse.</para>
    </para>
    <annotation type="History">Res. 22-002, ratified Nov. 8, 2022</annotation>
  </section>
  <section prefix="§" num="20" heading="Community Reinvestment and Reparations Fund.">
    <para num="(a)" heading="Purpose.">There is a continuing, nonlapsing fund for purposes of supporting the work of the Community Reinvestment and Reparations Commission, to the extent that the work of the Commission is within the scope of the use limitations in § 1-322 {“Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund”} of the State Alcoholic Beverage and Cannabis Article.</para>
    <para num="(b)" heading="Revenue sources.">The fund established under this section shall comprise:<para num="(1)">disbursements from the State Comptroller from the State Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund; and</para>
      <para num="(2)">future appropriations from the federal, State, or local government.</para>
    </para>
    <para num="(c)" heading="Continuing nature of Fund.">Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter, unspent portions of the Fund established under this section:<para num="(1)">remain in the Fund, to be used exclusively for their ordained purposes;</para>
      <para num="(2)">do not revert to the general revenues of the City; and</para>
      <para num="(3)">their appropriations do not lapse.</para>
    </para>
    <annotation type="History" />
  </section>
</baltimore-city-law>
