General Provisions

Baltimore City Charter art. I

in effect

Baltimore City Charter, Article I, § 1 Corporate entity.

§ 1. Corporate entity. 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.

Baltimore City Charter, Article I, § 2 Definitions.

§ 2. Definitions. As used in this Charter, unless the context otherwise requires: (a) City. “City” means the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, the body corporate as established by Section 1 of this Article I. (b) 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. (c) Charter. “Charter” means this Charter, composed of Articles I to IX, 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. (d) 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. (e) Number; Gender. Except where such construction would be unreasonable, the singular always includes the plural, and vice versa, and the masculine includes all genders. (f) 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. (g) 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. (h) Ordinance of Estimates. “Ordinance of Estimates” and “annual Ordinance of Estimates” shall include supplementary appropriation ordinances. (i) 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. (j) 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. (k) 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. (l) 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. (m) 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. (n) Acting. “Acting” status authorizes one who is substituting for another to exercise the powers and perform the duties of the other’s office. (o) 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. (Res. 20-026, ratified Nov. 3, 2020, eff. July 1, 2021.)

Baltimore City Charter, Article I, § 3 Property rights; Trusts; Gifts.

§ 3. Property rights; Trusts; Gifts. 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. 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. The City may also accept grants for its corporate purposes from any government, governmental agency or person.

Baltimore City Charter, Article I, § 4 Condemnation interests.

§ 4. Condemnation interests. 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.

Baltimore City Charter, Article I, § 5 Uniform application throughout City; Public ways.

§ 5. Uniform application throughout City; Public ways. 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.

Baltimore City Charter, Article I, § 6 Uniform taxation.

§ 6. Uniform taxation. 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.

Baltimore City Charter, Article I, § 7 Records; Reports.

§ 7. Records; Reports. (a) 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. (b) 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. (c) Annual report; Other information. (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. (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. (Res. 20-026, ratified Nov. 3, 2020, eff. July 1, 2021.)

Baltimore City Charter, Article I, § 8 Official time.

§ 8. Official time. 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.

Baltimore City Charter, Article I, § 9 Inner Harbor Park.

§ 9. Inner Harbor Park. 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. (Res. 24-318 Section 1; Res. 16-029, ratified Nov. 8, 2016.)

Baltimore City Charter, Article I, § 10 Affordable housing funds.

§ 10. Affordable housing funds. (a) 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: (1) providing assistance, by loan, grant, or otherwise, for the planning, production, maintenance, or expansion of affordable housing in the City; (2) providing assistance, by loan, grant, or otherwise, to persons unable to obtain affordable housing; and (3) otherwise increasing housing opportunities for working families and other persons of low and moderate income. (b) Revenue sources. A fund established under this section may comprise: (1) money appropriated to the fund in the annual Ordinances of Estimates; and (2) grants or donations made to the fund. (c) Continuing nature of fund. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter, unspent portions of a fund established under this section: (1) remain in the fund, to be used exclusively for their ordained purposes; (2) do not revert to the general revenues of the City; and (3) their appropriations do not lapse. (Res. 06-015, ratified Nov. 7, 2006.)

Baltimore City Charter, Article I, § 11 Sustainability and related funds.

§ 11. Sustainability and related funds. (a) 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: (1) supporting the activities of a City office of sustainability and of other offices necessary or appropriate for these purposes and goals; (2) performing educational outreach on these purposes and goals; (3) providing assistance by loan, grant, or otherwise to individuals and organizations undertaking activities to further these purposes and goals; and (4) conducting research to advance theses purposes and goals. (b) Revenue sources. A fund established under this section may comprise: (1) money appropriated to the fund in the annual Ordinances of Estimates; and (2) grants or donations made to the fund. (c) Continuing nature of fund. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter, unspent portions of a fund established under this section: (1) remain in the fund, to be used exclusively for their ordained purposes; (2) do not revert to the general revenues of the City; and (3) their appropriations do not lapse. (Res. 10-021, ratified Nov. 2, 2010.)

Baltimore City Charter, Article I, § 12 Special funds for education.

§ 12. Special funds for education. (a) Authorization. (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. (2) These purposes include supporting and augmenting programs and activities of the Baltimore City Public School System that are designed to: (i) increase new school construction; (ii) renovate and improve existing City school building; (iii) renew athletic facilities and provide recreational equipment and supplies; and (iv) modernize education-related equipment and supplies. (b) Revenue sources. A fund established under this section may comprise: (1) money appropriated to the fund in the annual Ordinances of Estimates; and (2) grants or donations made to the fund. (c) Continuing nature of fund. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter, unspent portions of a fund established under this section: (1) remain in the fund, to be used exclusively for their ordained purposes; (2) do not revert to the general revenues of the City; and (3) their appropriations do not lapse. (Res. 11-032, ratified Nov. 9, 2011.)

Baltimore City Charter, Article I, § 13 Children and Youth Fund.

§ 13. Children and Youth Fund. (a) Fund established; Scope. (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. (2) These programs and services must be from among those designed to: (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; (ii) ensure that Baltimore City supports families as an important part of the City population and civic culture; (iii) focus on the prevention of problems and on supporting and enhancing the strengths of children, youth, and their families; (iv) complement the City’s community development efforts; (v) strengthen community-based networks of recreation and after-school services in all neighborhoods; and (vi) ensure that children and youth with the highest needs receive maximum benefit from the Fund. (3) The Fund shall be administered in accordance with the following standards: (i) programs and services shall be provided and funds allocated based on best practices and successful and innovative models; (ii) to the maximum extent feasible, funds shall be allocated equitably among services for all age groups – from infancy to transitional-aged youth; (iii) programs and services shall be gender-responsive and culturally competent; and (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. (b) 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. (c) Revenue sources. The Children and Youth Fund shall comprise: (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 (2) grants and donations made to the Fund. (d) Continuing nature of Fund. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter, unspent portions of the Children and Youth Fund: (1) remain in the Fund, to be used exclusively for its specified purposes; (2) do not revert to the general revenues of the City; and (3) their appropriations do not lapse. (e) Implementation. By Ordinance, the Mayor and City Council shall provide for the oversight, governance, and administration of the Children and Youth Fund, including: (1) methods and criteria for identifying specific program and services eligible for funding by the Fund; (2) methods and criteria for allocating available funds among eligible programs and services; and (3) the establishment of any other legislative or administrative rules, regulations, or standards, consistent with this section, governing the Fund, its operations, and programs and services funded by it. (Res. 16-026, ratified Nov. 8, 2016.)

Baltimore City Charter, Article I, § 14 Affordable housing trust fund.

§ 14. Affordable housing trust fund. (a) 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: (1) providing assistance, by loan, grant, rental subsidy, or otherwise, for the planning, production, maintenance, or expansion of affordable housing, including inclusionary housing; (2) providing predevelopment activities for the acquisition, development, new construction, rehabilitation, and/or restoration of affordable housing; (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; (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 (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. (b) Revenue sources. A fund established under this section may comprise: (1) money appropriated to the fund in the annual Ordinance of Estimates; (2) grants or donations made to the fund; (3) mandatory or voluntary payments made pursuant to the development policies established by ordinance; (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 (5) other sources as established by ordinance. (c) Continuing nature of fund. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter, unspent portions of a fund established under this section, repayments of principal and interest on loans provided from the fund, and interest earned from the deposit or investment of monies from the fund: (1) shall remain in the fund, to be used exclusively for the purposes set forth in section 14(a) of this article {subsection (a) of this section}; (2) do not revert to the general revenues of the City; and (3) any appropriations do not lapse. (d) Administration and oversight. (1) In general. The trust fund shall be: (i) administered by {the} Baltimore City {Department of} Housing and Community Development; and (ii) overseen by a Commission, the members of which shall be appointed, must be confirmed, and shall serve pursuant to Article IV, Section 6{, of this Charter}. (2) Commission composition - in general. The Commission shall include: (i) a member appointed by the Mayor with experience in the fields of housing, community development, planning, social services, or public health; (ii) a member of the lending community with experience in community development and affordable housing finance; (iii) the Baltimore City Housing Commissioner or his/her designee; (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); (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); (vi) a homeowner who received assistance through an affordable homeownership program; (vii) a resident who has received rental assistance; (viii) a social service provider; (ix) a representative of the Homeless Services Board; (x) a low-income-housing and/or fair-housing advocate; (xi) a nonprofit affordable housing developer; (xii) a representative of a homebuilders or realtors association of Baltimore; and (xiii) such different or additional members as may be designated by ordinance. (3) 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 {shall comprise} 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. (4) Commission President. The Mayor shall designate one member of the Board as its President and may withdraw that designation and so designate another member. (5) Commission duties. The Commission shall: (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; (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, {and} unit size (number of bedrooms), and make the report available to the public; (iii) if necessary, recommend changes to the trust fund to maximize affordability outcomes of the trust fund, to the Mayor and City Council; (iv) ensure an audit of the fund every four years by a certified public accounting firm; and (v) exercise any additional duty related to the trust fund as directed by the Mayor and City Council. (e) Income targeting. (1) All assistance provided by the trust fund shall serve very low income households. (2) At least half of the assistance in any three-year period must serve extremely low income households. (f) Minimum affordability periods. (1) All rental housing assisted by the trust fund must have a minimum affordability period of at least 30 years. (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. (Initiative “Question J”, ratified Nov. 8, 2016.)

Baltimore City Charter, Article I, § 15 Special fund for fair elections.

§ 15. Special fund for fair elections. (a) Authorization. (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. (2) These purposes include: (i) providing direct funding to candidates for public office who meet certain qualifications; (ii) providing technical assistance and training to individuals seeking to make use of public campaign funding; (iii) publicizing the availability of public campaign funding; and (iv) administering a public campaign funding program. (b) Baltimore City Fair Election Fund Commission. (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. (2) The Baltimore City Fair Election Fund Commission consists of 11 members, including: (i) 2 members appointed by the Mayor; (ii) 3 members representing organizations focused on government reform, appointed by the Mayor; (iii) 1 member representing an organization advocating for the interests of City business owners, appointed by the Mayor; and (iv) 5 members appointed by the President of the City Council. (3) Each member of the Commission must: (i) be a resident of the City of Baltimore; (ii) not be a candidate for public office; (iii) not be a lobbyist required to register with the City; (iv) not be the chair or treasurer for an open campaign account; (v) be a registered voter; and (vi) be confirmed by the City Council. (4) The term of a member of the Commission is: (i) for the members of the initial Commission appointed by the President of the City Council, 6 years beginning on May 1, 2019; (ii) for all other members of the initial Commission, 4 years beginning on May 1, 2019; and (iii) for all members appointed to a full term after May 1, 2019, 4 years from the expiration of their predecessor’s appointment. (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. (6) The Commission shall elect a Chairperson and a Vice Chairperson from its members. (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. (c) Revenue sources. The fund established under this section may consist of: (1) money appropriated to the fund in the annual Ordinances of Estimates; (2) grants or donations made to the fund; and (3) proceeds from fines, fees, surcharges, or other revenues dedicated to the fund by Ordinance. (d) Continuing nature of fund. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter, unspent portions of the fund established under this section: (1) remain in the fund, to be used exclusively for their ordained purposes; (2) do not revert to the general revenues of the City; and (3) their appropriations do not lapse. (e) Implementation. By Ordinance, the Mayor and City Council shall provide for the oversight, governance, and administration of the Fair Election Fund, including: (1) qualifications of candidates eligible for funding from the Fund; (2) methods and criteria for allocating available funds among eligible programs or candidates; and (3) the establishment of any other legislative or administrative rules, regulations, or standards, consistent with this section, governing the Fund, its operations, and programs, services, and candidates funded by it. (Res. 18-009, ratified Nov. 6, 2018.)

Baltimore City Charter, Article I, § 16 Special fund for equity assistance.

§ 16. Special fund for equity assistance. (a) Authorization. (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. (2) These purposes include supporting and augmenting programs and activities that are designed to: (i) provide equity in housing; (ii) provide equitable access to education; (iii) assist efforts to redress past inequities in City capital budget spending; and (iv) eliminating structural and institutional racism and other forms of discrimination based on immutable characteristics. (b) Revenue sources. The fund established under this section may consist of: (1) money appropriated to the fund in the annual Ordinance of Estimates; (2) grants or donations made to the fund; and (3) proceeds from fines, fees, surcharges, or other revenues dedicated to the fund by ordinance. (c) Continuing nature of fund. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter, unspent portions of the fund established under this section: (1) remain in the fund, to be used exclusively for their ordained purposes; (2) do not revert to the general revenues of the City; and (3) their appropriations do not lapse. (Res. 18-014, ratified Nov. 6, 2018.)

Baltimore City Charter, Article I, § 17 Supplementary criminal apprehension and conviction fund.

§ 17. Supplementary criminal apprehension and conviction fund. (a) 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. (b) Limitations on use. The Supplementary Criminal Apprehension and Conviction Fund: (1) shall only be used to supplement rewards; and (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 subsection (a) of this section. (c) Revenue sources. The fund established under this section may consist of: (1) money appropriated to the fund in the annual Ordinance of Estimates; and (2) grants or donations made to the fund. (d) Continuing nature of fund. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter, unspent portions of the fund established under this section: (1) remain in the fund, to be used exclusively for their ordained purposes; (2) do not revert to the general revenues of the City; and (3) their appropriations do not lapse. (e) Implementation. By Ordinance, the Mayor and City Council may provide for the oversight, governance, and administration of the fund described in this section. (Res. 22-001, ratified Nov. 8, 2022.)

Baltimore City Charter, Article I, § 19 Dante Barksdale career technology apprenticeship fund.

§ 19. Dante Barksdale career technology apprenticeship fund. (a) Definitions. (1) In general. In this section, the following terms have the meanings indicated. (2) 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. (3) Covered craft. “Covered craft” means a classification of workers listed in the prevailing wage determination applicable to the covered project. (4) Covered project. “Covered project” means a project for the construction of a public work that is valued at $500,000 or more. (b) 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. (c) Revenue sources. The fund established under this section shall comprise: (1) money appropriated to the fund in the annual Ordinance of Estimates; and (2) grants or donations made to the fund; and (3) proceeds from fines, fees, surcharges, or other revenues dedicated to the fund by Ordinance. (d) Continuing nature of fund. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter, unspent portions of the fund established under this section: (1) remain in the fund, to be used exclusively for their ordained purposes; (2) do not revert to the general revenues of the City; and (3) their appropriations do not lapse. (Res. 22-002, ratified Nov. 8, 2022.)

Baltimore City Charter, Article I, § 20 Community Reinvestment and Reparations Fund.

§ 20. Community Reinvestment and Reparations Fund. (a) 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. (b) Revenue sources. The fund established under this section shall comprise: (1) disbursements from the State Comptroller from the State Community Reinvestment and Repair Fund; and (2) future appropriations from the federal, State, or local government. (c) Continuing nature of Fund. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Charter, unspent portions of the Fund established under this section: (1) remain in the Fund, to be used exclusively for their ordained purposes; (2) do not revert to the general revenues of the City; and (3) their appropriations do not lapse. (Res. 24-08 Section 1.)

Source: City of Baltimore Department of Legislative Reference, City of Baltimore Law Library (codes.baltimorecity.gov; Open Law Library bulk XML)URL: https://codes.baltimorecity.gov/us/md/cities/baltimore/charter/IFetched: 10/25/2026