From ancient Taoist philosophers like Lao Tzu to contemporary celebrities like Robert Redford, there is no shortage of famous people who have publicly observed, with only minor variation, that within every problem resides an opportunity. The context may vary, but the core message is plainly true. Just look at the history books. A lot of important progress takes place when things look most discouraging. This is when bold action is needed and people are open to change. What’s often missing is the vision and leadership to see it through. Might Baltimore be positioned for such a transformative moment?

We ask the question because several events of recent days point to just such an opportunity. First, there is the news that the Baltimore region has seen a significant drop in new housing construction. This is not a complete shock. From the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic to rising interest rates and materials costs, there are quite a few factors working against builders right now in Maryland and beyond. Last year, Baltimore and its suburban counties issued just 6,600 permits for new homes, the lowest number in a decade. The outlook is somewhat brighter on the national level, where building permits for future construction recently hit a 12-month high (despite a June decline). This has renewed concern that in the Baltimore area at least developers are simply running out of room; open, properly zoned, ready-to-build and affordable tracts of land aren’t nearly as common as they once were.

At the same time, Baltimore has an excess of substandard housing with nearly 14,000 properties listed as either vacant or abandoned. Recently, city leaders expressed hope for a public-private partnership to find solutions for this long-standing problem. Mayor Brandon Scott, housing advocates, faith leaders and others want to see billions of dollars in new investment in city neighborhoods and, perhaps most ambitiously, reverse decades of redlining that have hurt so many families of color and kept homeownership beyond their reach.

And one more issue. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently received something of a scolding from the agency’s inspector general for not doing more to keep the Chesapeake Bay cleanup on track. The cleanup is falling short of its 2025 goals, and there are any number of reasons for this. But a major one is what is known as nonpoint source pollution, which is a fancy way of describing rainwater or snow melt that spreads excess nutrients and sediments from backyards, streets and highways, farm fields and sidewalks into creeks, rivers and, eventually, the Chesapeake Bay. One of the best solutions? Smart growth — developing in more concentrated patterns instead of sprawl so that runoff can be properly managed.

See the scope of the mess? How about the opportunity? What’s needed is something of a Marshall Plan to restore housing infrastructure to the region’s core while preserving as much open space as possible in environmentally sensitive areas. Federal, state and local government may not have billions to spend outright to accomplish this in the manner of post-World War II Europe, but it surely can help create incentives through zoning, land use regulations, tax breaks, water and sewer renovations and beyond to help facilitate greater private investment in the city and steer new housing there. It’s good environmental policy. It’s good social policy. It’s good economic policy.

There will surely be naysayers. What about the quality of public schools? What about gun violence? What about high property tax rates? All are obstacles. But if you attract middle-income families to the city, many of these problems will diminish. You want good schools? Bring in involved parents. Lower crime? Stable neighborhoods would be a big help. Just look at home values in certain Baltimore neighborhoods. The greater the investment, the better the quality of life. The only question is whether the Baltimore region from Westminster to Annapolis is willing to rise together or let its center fail and by doing so, put all our communities at risk.

A major opportunity beckons. Who is willing to seize the moment?