Montgomery Co. gets new tool in forcing landlords to address code violations
Landlords who violate housing codes will no longer be exempt from consumer protection laws in Montgomery County, Maryland.
In a unanimous vote Tuesday, the county council voted in favor of a bill that allows the Office of Consumer Protection and the County Attorney’s Office to address code violations.
The two offices will establish a memorandum of understanding with the county’s Department of Housing and Community Affairs to spell out exactly what each agency will be responsible for as a way to avoid duplicating enforcement efforts, according to the council.
County Council member Kristin Mink sponsored the bill that puts landlords in the same categories as “merchants,” allowing the county to hold them accountable in cases where they fail to provide amenities as advertised, don’t keep buildings in good repair, or have a record of chronic housing violations, for example.
Mink told her colleagues on the council Tuesday that in FY 2024, the county’s Department of Housing and Community Affairs attempted to collect $1.5 million dollars in fines from landlords, but succeeded in collecting just $100,000, “so we’re leaving a lot of money on the table,” Mink said.
When the March 4 hearing on the bill was held, tenants testified to the need to improve the mechanism to hold landlords accountable for things like persistent insect or rodent infestations, mold or leaks.
At the same hearing, Chris Bruch, president of Donahoe, a real estate company with 250 buildings under its management, told council members that the bill was “a solution in search of a problem,” and that the council was creating legislation that went after 2% of the “bad actors” in the industry.
Before voting for the bill, Council member Marilyn Balcombe said, “I know violations occur, we all hear that from constituents and we know that happens.” But added, “I do also want to remind everyone that we have many, many, many landlords that take great care of their properties and great care of their tenants.”
Once signed by County Executive Marc Elrich, the bill would go into effect after 91 days.