Explanation: Capitals indicate matter added to existing law.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
* Warning: This is an unofficial, introductory copy of the bill.
The official copy considered by the City Council is the first reader copy.
Introductory*
City of Baltimore
Council Bill
Introduced by: Councilmember Burnett
A Bill Entitled
An Ordinance concerning
title
Large Residential Property Owners - Required Reporting and Mediation
For the purpose of requiring that certain large residential property owners disclose additional information when registering properties; requiring that certain large residential property owners include a provision in their leases offering residential tenants mediation before eviction proceedings can commence; defining a certain term; clarifying and conforming related provisions; and generally relating to the regulation of residential property owners.
body
By adding
Article 13 - Housing and Urban Renewal
Section(s) 4-6(c)
Baltimore City Code
(Edition 2000)
By repealing and reordaining, with amendments
Article 13 - Housing and Urban Renewal
Section(s) 7-3
Baltimore City Code
(Edition 2000)
Section 1. Be it ordained by the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, That the Laws of Baltimore City read as follows:
Baltimore City Code
Article 13. Housing and Urban Renewal
Division II. Dwellings and Vacant Structures
Subtitle 4. Registration of Non-Owner-Occupied Dwellings, Rooming Houses, and Vacant Structures
§ 4-6. Registration statement - Contents.
(c) Large residential property owners.
(1) In this subsection “large residential property owner” means:
(i) a person who owns 1 or more properties within the City of Baltimore that, in the aggregate, contain 5 or more non-owner-occupied dwelling units; or
(ii) an entity in which a person with an ownership interest of 3% or more of the entity owns 1 or more properties within the City of Baltimore that, in the aggregate, contain 5 or more non-owner-occupied dwelling units.
(2) Each registration statement for a property owned in whole or in part by a large residential property owner must contain the following additional information:
(i) the street address of each property owned by the owner of record that is required to be registered under this subtitle;
(ii) if the owner of record is a corporation, partnership, limited partnership, limited liability company, or similar entity, the name, street address, telephone number, and email address for each person who owns 3% or more of the owner of record; and
(iii) the street address of each property required to be registered under this subtitle owned directly, or indirectly through any entity in which the person has a 3% or greater ownership interest, by anyone identified under item (ii) of this paragraph.
Subtitle 7. Residential Lease Requirements
§ 7-3. [Information required] Lease requirements.
(a) In general.
(1) Each residential lease [shall] must contain the following information:
(i) the name, residence address, and residence telephone number or the name, business address, and business telephone number of the owner of the property, or
(ii) the name, residence address, and residence telephone number or the name,
business address, and business telephone number of an agent of the owner who is authorized to receive court process on behalf of the owner in connection with the property.
(2) Any owner who is not customarily present in an office in the metropolitan Baltimore area [shall] must include in the lease the information required above for an agent authorized to receive court process on behalf of the owner.
(b) Changes.
(1) Within 10 days of a change in any information required by subsection (a) of this section to be contained in a lease, the property owner [shall] must notify the tenant of the change.
(2) The notice [shall] must be sent to the tenant by first class mail.
(c) Mediation for large residential property owners.
Each residential lease with a large residential property owner, as defined in § 4-6(c) of this Division II, must contain a provision that:
(1) obligates the owner to offer the tenant mediation, at the owner’s expense, with a mediator certified by the Maryland Council for Dispute Resolution or Community Mediation Maryland before the owner may begin eviction proceedings;
(2) grants the tenant 10 days to accept or reject the mediation offer before the owner may begin eviction proceedings; and
(3) if the tenant accepts the mediation offer, obligates the owner to refrain from beginning eviction proceedings until after the mediation session.
Section 2. And be it further ordained, That the catchlines contained in this Ordinance are not law and may not be considered to have been enacted as a part of this or any prior Ordinance.
Section 3. And be it further ordained, That this Ordinance takes effect on the 30th day after the date it is enacted.