Housing Justice
Baltimore City Rental Property Registration and Licensing Law
Non owner-occupied properties in Baltimore City are required to be registered with the City. Additionally, non owner-occupied rental properties also have to be inspected and licensed, in addition to the registration requirement. This law went into effect in 2018, and applies to single-family homes as well as multifamily properties (apartments), rental condos, etc. A Baltimore City landlord cannot charge or collect rent for a property that is not inspected and licensed. Please go here to download the sections of Baltimore City Code that cover registration, licensing, and inspections. (This link will open a PDF file). For more information on Baltimore’s ...
Forum highlights discrimination and appraisal bias in housing
Although Maryland is one of the most diverse states in the nation, advocates say geographical and racial bias remains within the state’s housing industry. Robyn Dorsey, fair housing director for Economic Action Maryland, said Bank of America represents Baltimore City’s largest depositor of funds at 43%. However, it has invested less than 4% in home purchase mortgages. Read the full article here.
Poppleton Housing Complaint
Economic Action Maryland, along with Ms. Angela Banks, an African American member of Baltimore’s Poppleton community, have filed an administrative complaint with HUD (US Department of Housing and Urban Development) against Baltimore City, Mayor Brandon Scott, and the City Council for consistent violations of the Fair Housing Act. The complaint states the City’s redevelopment policies have violated the Fair Housing Act by displacing Black residents of Poppleton from the neighborhood and into more deeply segregated parts of Baltimore City as well as out of the city entirely. This continuous violation has gone on since at least 1975. The city has ...
New for 2023: The Tenant Guide!
Finding a new rental in Maryland can be a challenge, especially in 2023, so we’ve distilled a lot of tips and tricks into one easy-to-use guide. It includes information on: How to find a good rental How to calculate affordability Things to look out for when researching the landlord or management company What to do when something goes wrong You can download your free copy of the Tenant Guide here. If you still have concerns about the property you’re living in, you’re always welcome to send us an intake form or call our tenant line Tuesday through Friday, from 10 AM until 2 ...
Land Grab: Why a Desperate City Kept Cutting Deals With a Developer Who Didn’t Deliver
Community members and activists save residents of Baltimore City’s Poppleton neighborhood from losing their homes for the sake of “redevelopment.” Read Economic Action’s Tenant Advocacy Director, Carol Ott’s, thoughts on development in Baltimore. Read the article here