Currently, there are approximately 16,000 vacant houses in Baltimore City. As long as the property taxes are paid on the condemned property, Baltimore City (City Council) doesn’t demolish it; therefore, Baltimore City communities become an eyesore and attract crime; vacant homes produce high property taxes, make neighborhoods unsafe, and drive property values way down.
There is a law on the books that support the idea that Baltimore City has a right to demolish condemned houses, Article 33A, if the city compensates the owner with “just compensation.”
Why hasn’t this been done? According to the councilmen of the fourth district, absentee landlords pay the property taxes on condemned houses. This amount minimizes the amount of taxes collected; therefore, Baltimore residents pay higher taxes on real property, sales items, and earned income to support the building of schools, highways, and urban renewals. Also, as of 1963, “just compensation” no longer means fair market value but reimbursement for moving costs.
Condemned property is unnecessary and causes property taxes to be high!
Baltimore City has more than 16,000 vacant buildings.
If the city owns it, why hasn’t it been torn down?
If the city does not own it, why not?
One windy spring day, Thomas Lemmon sitting in his Cadillac alongside a row home died a violent death. The walls of the condemned house collapsed. Two stories of brick buckled and rained down on the Cadillac, smashing the windshield and flattening the roof. Lemmon died in a hospital that evening. He was 69 years old. On display at his funeral was a red and white wreath in the shape of his cherished Cadillac.
The building that killed Lemmon had been bought in a city tax sale by investors who’d let it sit empty for nearly a decade. Lemmon’s family won a $1.3 million civil judgment against the investors.
SEARCH LISTING FOR CONDEMNED HOUSING
Also,
Construction/Demolition
Each year this Office oversees the demolition of more than 300 unsafe structures throughout the City. In addition, this Office condemns vacant and abandoned properties.
People contact this Office with questions like these:
Which properties in my neighborhood are condemned?
Which structures are slated for demolition this month?
On what date is a particular property scheduled for demolition?
What must standard operating procedures be followed when razing a building?
How can my company contract with the City to be a demolition contractor?
We answer inquiries from community associations, fire departments, business associations, merchants, and members of the public.
Contact the Construction and Demolition division by calling 410-396-3512
An individual can purchase a condemned building directly from the City of Baltimore. Sign the contract, make a 10% deposit, then choose a title company for settlement.
- You have 12 months to complete the job
- You must register your property with the Baltimore City permit office
- You must provide project updates as a part of your contract compliance
The Baltimore County Police Department uses Propertyroom.com to auction off all abandoned, stolen, lawfully seized property of every kind and description that has been unclaimed for 30 days or more. This is an ongoing auction available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Solution – Any house that is deemed non-inhabitable should be torn down or sold for occupation within 6 months from the day the property became inhabitable.
Solution – All inhabitable houses sold for occupation must be put on the market 1 year from the date it was bought. H.O.M.E can be one of the organizations to rebuild homes in conjunction with the $1 for the home program. Money used to demolish a house can be given to H.O.M.E.
Solution – Affordable housing should be determined by wages earned within the district of the home.
