Council presses city for clear plan on open-air drug markets; administration outlines multiagency approach

Baltimore City Council Public Safety Committee Chair Mark Conway opened a hearing focused on one of the committee’s recurring constituent complaints: open-air drug markets that community members say make neighborhoods feel unsafe.

“While today's hearing focuses on open air drug markets, I wanna clarify that this issue is not separate from our broader public safety efforts,” Tyler O'Shanella, the mayor’s legislative liaison, told the committee. “We will not tolerate open air drug markets.” He said the Scott administration pairs enforcement by the Baltimore Police Department with long-term investments such as removing vacant properties, housing assistance, job training and recreational opportunities.

Council members repeatedly pressed for a clear, published plan and a timeline for responding to locations with persistent drug activity. Chair Conway said councilmembers and constituents want to know what happens when they report a recurring drug corner: whether enforcement alone will be used, whether engagement and services will…