We believe that a community of creative problem-solvers, faced with complicated, seemingly intractable challenges, is well-served by thought-provoking, research-based information and analysis. We support the development and dissemination of research in two ways:
Abell Reports are commissioned reports by subject matter experts, academics, and investigative journalists that provide studies of selected issues on the public agenda.
These projects – undertaken with grant funding by academics and nonprofit research and advocacy organizations – advance learning on issues key to Baltimore City.
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A reflection on the promising new approaches and new resources that have been brought to bear in the last decade.
Recent changes to state funding have reignited conversations among Maryland corrections leaders about expanding and strengthening electronic monitoring (EM) and pretrial services. This report summarizes key findings from the Justice Policy Institute’s research into EM as well as best practices.
Racial bias in home appraising can harm individuals by making home purchases more expensive or refinancing unattainable, but when compounded on the community level, it can have profound impacts on minority communities’ ability to build wealth. Using newly available federal data, this report finds evidence of systemic appraisal bias that undervalues homes in predominantly Black communities in Baltimore City and the surrounding counties.
Vacant houses, uninhabitable due to abandonment or lack of owner investment, exert a heavy cost on neighborhoods and the City as a whole. This report calculates just how steep the public cost is and provides an economic backdrop for future action.
Our 2021 Annual Report captures a sliver of the diverse, innovative ways Baltimoreans responded to the crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic; the deeper, systemic challenges we face as a city; and the opportunity to build on our many strengths.
We need to develop sustainable, clean, and affordable sources of energy. Can heat from the Earth’s interior offer a potential solution? This Abell Report examines the science of geothermal energy and evaluates whether it’s a viable alternative for Baltimore.
Too many children continue to be exposed to deteriorating lead-based paint in their homes. This Abell report examines what it would take for Baltimore City to tackle the urgent problem of lead paint poisoning.
Big box stores and supermarkets offer optimal locations for solar installations, with potential for rooftop and parking canopy systems to reduce facility energy costs by half while advancing Maryland’s renewable energy and climate goals.
Header photo courtesy of Venture for America.
