HUD CITES BALTIMORE CONDOMINIUM FOR DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION

On June 7, 2022, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) entered into a Consent Order with a Baltimore condominium company, Scarlett Place Residential Condominium, Inc., and its management agent, Brodie Management, Inc., to resolve a Charge of Discrimination alleging disability discrimination. Read the Consent Order here. 

"It is unconscionable that families caring for children with disabilities could also face housing discrimination," said Demetria L. McCain, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. "This consent order demonstrates HUD's commitment to protecting the fair housing rights of families and persons with disabilities."

HUD's Charge of Discrimination alleged that Scarlett Place Residential Condominium and Brodie Management violated the Fair Housing Act when they refused to waive their rule limiting occupants to two persons per bedroom to allow a family of eight - one a young child having bone marrow transplant treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital - to temporarily rent a three-bedroom condominium. The family needed to live together to provide for the child's medical treatment and care, including screening of all family members for a possible bone marrow donor. The condominium's board of directors levied a monthly fine against the rental unit's owner because the family occupied the condominium.

The Consent Order, entered into by a HUD Chief Administrative Law Judge, requires Scarlett Place Residential Condominium and Brodie Management to pay the family and the condominium owner $35,743.50 in damages, and other actions to ensure nondiscrimination because of disability. The Consent Order is not an admission of liability by either Scarlett Place  Residential Condominium or Brodie Management.

"Housing providers must allow families to provide care for their children with disabilities when a  simple waiver of condominium rules can be made," said Damon Smith, HUD's General Counsel. "HUD will vigorously enforce the Fair Housing Act's protections for persons with disabilities."

Read the June 7, 2022 HUD Press Release.

 Estimated 85,000 Occupied Housing Units In Baltimore Have ‘Dangerous Lead Hazards,’ Report Says

Acording to an April, 2022 report from the Abell Foundation - "Evaluating the Cost of Lead Hazard Control and Abatement in Baltimore City" - there are an estimated 85,087 occupied housing units in Baltimore have “dangerous lead hazards.” The report estimates the total price for lead abatement work on those units could be between $2.5 billion and $4.2 billion. More limited, lead hazard control for all of the units is estimated to cost between $851 million and $1.4 billion.The Maryland Department of the Environment estimated that lead-based paint hazards accounted for 78% of all potential sources of lead exposure in Baltimore in 2021. 

The author of the report, Baltimore data scientist Luke Scrivener, estimated that lead hazard control could cost between $10,00 and $17,000 for a typical two-story house, and lead abatement could cost between $30,000 and $50,000. Lead abatement involves removing, replacing, or enclosing areas that have lead paint and other hazards. Lead hazard control simply repairs and repaints the affected areas. The report noted that Baltimore was the first U.S. city to ban lead paint in residential housing in 1951 - some 17 years before a federal ban was enacted in 1978.

The report indicated that there are 2,104 housing units with reported lead violations in Baltimore. However, 1,138 of these are vacant or set to be demolished. For the 966 occupied housing units, lead hazard reduction will cost between $9.7 million and $16.4 million. Lead abatement will cost between $29 million and $48.3 million. The report also estimated that approximately 42% of the 199,338 homes built in Baltimore before 1978 are likely to have significant lead hazards.

The report utilized lead-hazard data from the 2011 American Healthy Homes Survey and neighborhood home values. 

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Source: https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/05/05/an-estimated-85000-occupied-housing-units-in-baltimore-have-dangerous-lead-hazards-report-says/

Baltimore City Begins Tax Sale Exemption Program to Keep Residents in Their Homes

This program helps homeowners avoid tax sale for unpaid City bills. 

The deadline to apply for this program is Friday, April 15. 

Learn more at https://dhcd.baltimorecity.gov/hho/tax-sale-prevention.

Learn more or register for a free homeowner clinic at http://www.myhomemydeed.org, or call 443-451-4066.

What is it?

The Tax Sale Exemption Program is an annual city program managed by the Departments of Finance and Housing and Community Development. Successful applicants have their properties removed from tax sale in the year they apply. However, this program does not forgive unpaid bills, and if the bills are not paid, they may qualify the property for tax sale the next year.

The city sets aside $2 million dollars annually. From that starting balance, the amount of each applicant’s liens is deducted from the balance remaining. Once the $2 million dollars is exhausted, the program closes. 

Eligibility

Homeowners who receive Final Bill and Legal Notices (FBLN) in February are eligible to participate in this program if they meet following criteria:

(1) The assessed value of their home is $250,000 or less (look it up here—SDAT: Real Property Search (maryland.gov)), and

(2) The homeowner has lived in their home as a primary residence for at least 15 years, and

One of the following criteria are met:

(1)  The homeowner has a total annual household earned income of $36,000 or less; or

(2)  The homeowner is at least 65 years old and has an annual earned income of $75,000 or less; or

(3)  The homeowner is an adult currently receiving disability benefits from the Federal Social Security Disability Insurance Program or the Supplemental Security Income Program and has an annual earned income of $75,000 or less.

How can I apply?

The number of properties removed from tax sale through this program is limited, and applications are reviewed on a first come, first served basis, so it is best to apply as early as you can. Applications are accepted February 15 – April 15 each year. You must apply every year for this exemption. You can:

Apply online at https://portal.neighborlysoftware.com/baltimoremd/Participant.

Download an application here: https://dhcd.baltimorecity.gov/files/final-tax-sale-exemption-application.pdf.

Or pick up a paper application at the 1st floor of the Abel Wolman Building, and the 11th floor of 417 E. Fayette Street, Baltimore, 21202. To submit a paper application, you may mail it or bring it to:

          Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development
          417 E. Fayette Street, Suite 1125 (11th floor)
          Baltimore, MD 21202

For more information regarding the application process please call the Department of Finance at 410. 396.3000 or email the Department of Housing & Community Development at dhcd.taxsaleinfo@baltimorecity.gov.

For More Information

To learn more about the tax sale process, avoiding tax sale, or to schedule a community-based information session, please contact Michael O'Leary, Tax Sale Services Coordinator at michael.oleary@baltimorecity.gov or 410-396-0273.

Baltimore City Department of Finance Tax Sale Information 2020 Tax Sale FAQs.

 

2019 Breaking Barriers Award Gala

September 18, 2019 6-8:30 pm American Visionary Arts Museum (AVAM) 800 Key Hwy, Baltimore, MD 21230

To purchase a ticket or become a sponsor

please click here

Proceeds directly support DRM and expand our capacity to provide critical legal assistance for Marylanders with disabilities.

Position OpeningIntern with the Baltimore Office of Civil Rights

Help Educate the Public about Their Right to Fair Housing!

Baltimore Office of Civil Rights

The Office of Civil Rights and Wage Enforcement is a city agency devoted to upholding the federal
and local civil rights laws, as well as the local minimum, living, and prevailing wage laws. The
overarching mission of the Office of Civil Rights is to carry out activities to eliminate discrimination
and protect individuals' civil rights. Interns will work specifically with the Community Relations
Commission on issues of fair housing. The Community Relations Commission is the city's official
fair employment practice, human rights, and intergroup relations agency which is responsible for
combating unlawful discrimination in employment, public accommodation, housing, education, and
health and welfare services based on race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry sex, physical or
mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and marital status. Interns will
aid the CRC in a variety of ways to provide outreach and help enforce Article 4 of the Baltimore City
Code and the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968.

Duties:
• Help create training materials related to fair housing, specifically the Fair Housing Act of 1968
   and Article 4 of the Baltimore City Code
• Develop/create art work for printed outreach materials
• Provide training to local community groups, organizations, and professionals on fair housing
• Attend community events to discuss the work of the Community Relations Commission
• Distribute printed outreach materials
• Help create PSAs, social media campaigns, and webinars
• Collect data on outreach materials, training, community events, social media, and outreach
   campaigns
• Provide data to local officials
• Monitor local housing policies
• Work with staff to plan a Fair Housing Month Event in April 2020
• Assist with grant reporting
• Other administrative duties as assigned

Compensation:

The Fair Housing Intern will work part-time year-round, beginning in July 2019 through June 2020.
Scheduling will be flexible, but on average will be expected to be approximately 20 hours per week.
Interns will be paid a bi-weekly stipend at a rate of $20 per hour. Some evening and weekend hours
may be required. Course credit may be available for internship.

Qualifications:

Interns are required to either be currently enrolled or have graduated from an accredited university.
Preferably, interns will have experience with fair housing and/or a legal background. Previous
knowledge of Article 4 of the Baltimore City Code or the Fair Housing Act of 1968 also preferred.

To apply to intern with the Baltimore Office of Civil Rights, interested individuals must submit the
following information: Name, contact information, copy of CV or résumé, and a written explanation as to why you would like to serve as a Fair Housing Intern. This information can be submitted via email to Raemond.Parrott@Baltimorecity.gov or mailed or hand delivered to: 7 E. Redwood Street, 9th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21202. Applications due by June 30, 2019.

Baltimore's Role in Civil Rights History Discussed in New Book

Review of Book about Baltimore's Civil Rights History

Amy Nathan's just-published Round and Round Together: Taking a Merry-Go-Round Ride into the Civil Rights Movement (The Nautilus Series) (Paul Dry Books, 2011).

This book is, according to Kirkus Reviews, "A snapshot of the civil-rights movement in one city provides insight into the important role of individual communities as change moved through the country... a case study of how citizens of one city both precipitated and responded to the whirlwind of social change around them." 

The city is Baltimore, and the book entertainingly chronicles the integration battles at Gwynn Oak, Kresge's, etc. Jacques Kelly has a very interesting article on this in The Baltimore Sun. You can read it here. If you want to buy the book, Amazon has it, among many others.