BALTIMORE, Md. — A new coalition of Baltimore business owners is working to strengthen protections for small businesses in the city.
'A fighting chance': Baltimore small businesses join forces to combat vacant storefronts
"Our city's small businesses are the very places that put the charm in Charm City, and they're closing left and right," said Tanner Mobley, lead organizer of the coalition.
Mobley argues that gaps in the city's commercial tenant laws are contributing to vacant storefronts and making it harder for local entrepreneurs to succeed.
He noticed some of these roadblocks while helping his partner open Affogato, the cat cafe in Fells Point.
"It takes forever to find a space, you finally find one and then starts the bureaucracy," Mobley said. "You finally get open after dealing with all the red tape, and hopefully you have a good landlord because the city of Baltimore has practically no protections in place for commercial tenants."
He says there are examples in almost every neighborhood. In Waverly, Chihuahua Brothers was a beloved taco spot until the building started to deteriorate and they had to move closer downtown.
"The space was gorgeous, and then that landlord changed the locks overnight, the day before their grand opening," Mobley said. "That's two entirely different locations, two entirely different landlords, and the same rigged system that didn't protect them from either situation."
The Baltimore Small Business Rights Coalition has launched a petition, fundraising campaign, and Instagram, where they share the current reality.
"We had so many small business owners across the city say this is happening to me too," Mobley said. "There are some meaningful common-sense things we can do to protect folks and just make it easier for folks to stay open long-term."
The grassroots organizing effort is centered on what members are calling a Baltimore Small Business Bill of Rights. Which includes:
- Scaling notice and eviction protections
- Anti-harassment and lease protections
- Maintenance standards
- Bureaucracy assistance, fair standards and lease accessibility
- Vacant storefront accountability
- Absentee owner accountability
"At the end of the day, what this bill is trying to get at is filling vacant spaces and helping give small businesses a fighting chance," Mobley said.
Baltimore City Councilman Zac Blanchard, who represents Federal Hill and parts of Downtown, said he supports the coalition's efforts.
“I am very supportive of empowering small businesses and developing baseline incentives for commercial property owners. I will continue to work with the Baltimore Small Business Rights Coalition and my City Council colleagues to iron out legislative details that support the coalition’s work,” he wrote in a statement.
The plan is to get several measures signed into law within the next year. The next step is to start doing neighborhood walks and hosting town halls; the first is Monday, August 17 at 406 North Howard Street at 7 pm.
