At first glance, Baltimore entered 2026 on a winning streak. The city saw its historic decline in violent crime continue, and fatal overdoses plummeted once again to a 10-year low.
Yet the data was soon met with a hefty dose of reality. A bone-chilling cold snap gave way to a debilitating and dangerous winter storm, blanketing the city with snow and cooling the sense of burning optimism projected by those who hold power. For the most vulnerable residents and those who fight for their livelihoods, the progress boasted in press releases and social media posts didn’t jibe with what drug users and unhoused neighbors are actually experiencing in the streets.
The storm and the sub-zero windchills that lingered demonstrated that the pictures of progress painted by those in power have been weaponized to retain power at the expense of those who have none…