I'd like to have a discussion about what draws people to Baltimore and what compels them to leave. So, here's my attempt at a starter list of reasons (in no particular order) people move in and out:
In from the suburbs:
-to be closer to work
-to be closer to the party scene (aka, no more drunken driving home from bars)
-to live in a real neighborhood instead of a pod of housing units
-to have transportation options other than a car
In from another city:
-job or school brought them here
-cheaper than former city
Out:
-Crime
-Schools
-Property Tax (usually when renters decide they want to buy for the first time)
I think if we can agree on a good list, the next step would be to decide what strategies can be used to encourage more of the positive factors (those that draw people in) and discourage the negative ones (those that drive people out). It's possible that the whole exercise will be in vein because Baltimore is already doing everything it can in this regard, but I doubt it.