Here we go again,
Baltimore just joined the cities of Chicago, LA, Philadelphia, St.
Paul, NYC, and Albany to ensure that we continue to have job
security.
Following please find the new Baltimore city
ordinance requiring registration of non-owner occupied residential
properties.
The information was provided by the Ron Deutsch
Cohn, Goldberg & Deutsch, LLC.
Robert
RDeutsch@cohn-goldberg-deutsch.com
To: usfn-industry@egroups.com
Organization: Cohn, Goldberg & Deutsch, LLC.
Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2001 16:19:49 -0500
Subject: [usfn-industry] Baltimore City Code - Ordinance 382
Enforcement
We have learned that State of Maryland is
attempting to enforce a section of the Baltimore City Code, which
requires registration of non-owner occupied residential properties.
This section is found in Ordinance No. 382.
The Ordinance requires that every owner of a non-owner occupied
dwelling unit, must file a registration statement (Part A) with the
Commissioner of the Department of Housing and Community
Development. The registration statement must be filed upon the date
of transfer AND on every September 1st annually thereafter. A
$15.00 registration fee is required but in no event shall any owner
be liable for registration fees in excess of $2,500.00 Failure to
file the registration statement is a criminal misdemeanor,
punishable by a fine of up to $500 per day that the statement is
not filed. After the Part A is filed properties that are added or
later sold can be reported on the Part B. Government agencies must
register their properties but are exempt from the $15 registration
fee.
The purpose of the Ordinance is to facilitate
the City in locating the responsible individual in the event that a
violation notice must be forwarded. The Part A designates the
authorized agent who must be an individual who is at least 18 years
old and is customarily present in the City or resides there.
The Registration statement must be returned to
the Department of Housing and Community Development, 417 East
Fayette Street, Room 202, Baltimore, Maryland 21202.
Any one having questions, can contact me at (410) 296-2550 x3030
or the Director of Finance at (410) 396-4139
Ron Deutsch
Cohn, Goldberg & Deutsch, LLC
600 Baltimore Avenue, Suite 208
Towson, Maryland 21204
(410) 296-2550
From: Robert Klein
To: RDeutsch@cohn-goldberg-deutsch.com
Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2001 8:46 PM
Subject: Baltimore City Code - Ordinance 382 Enforcement
[usfn-industry]
Ron, I would like to ask you the 64k question
the industry has.
Is the servicer of the loan who does not have
possession of the property (pre-sale) or does not take title in its
name (post sale) fall under the category of "owner"?
Your opinion would be greatly appreciated.
Robert
From: "Ron Deutsch"
rdeutsch@cohn-goldberg-deutsch.com
To: "Robert Klein" robert.klein@safeguardproperties.com
Subject: Re: Baltimore City Code - Ordinance 382 Enforcement
[usfn-
industry]
Date: Fri, 12 Jan 2001 09:46:35 -0500
Organization: Cohn, Goldberg & Deutsch, LLC.
Hi Robert!
My opinion, which of course has not been tested
by a Judicial opinion yet would be that "pre-sale" clearly would
not be subject to this Ordinance. "Post Sale" might, if an
aggressive States Attorney argued that after ratification but
before a deed has been recorded title has been transferred. But
that would be an aggressive argument. Perhaps for $15 it is better
to be safe than sorry. The statute states that government agencies
must register but are not obligated to pay the $15.