Bill Information: House Bill 472/Senate Bill 873 would establish a Lead Poisoning Compensation Fund, which would require Maryland rental property owners to pay into the fund. The fees could range from $50 to $500 per unit. The Fund would be required to cover property owners for claims arising from lead paint lawsuits.
Why This Is Important: In light of Baltimore City’s blatant refusal to compensate victims of lead poisoning by the Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC), there is an obvious need to take care of these victims — to take care of their immediate and future needs.
What You Should Do: Contact your Maryland legislators and ask them to support this important bill.
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About Baltimore Slumlord Watch
Baltimore Slumlord Watch was created in January of 2009, as a way for city residents to discuss and share information on Baltimore’s many bad property owners. Started by a resident who was tired of watching out of town “investors” and others destroy neighborhoods as a result of their negligence, we hope this blog will serve as a valuable service to other city residents who are sick of the problems slumlords cause in our communities.
Please note, we do not work for realtors, developers, or property investors, and have no financial interest in property in Baltimore City.
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February 24th, 2012 at 7:01 am
I have an odd question…why should the city be on the hook for lead poisoning? shouldn’t the people who owned/painted the property be on the hook or the paint manufacturers? The city didn’t force anyone to use lead paint did they?…or am i completely off base and it’s because of lead paint in public housing?
February 24th, 2012 at 7:52 am
The City owned the homes, through the Housing Authority – so yes, technically the City would be on the hook for the lawsuit settlements and attorneys fees.
February 24th, 2012 at 9:03 am
Well that makes sense then…Thanks.
February 24th, 2012 at 10:15 am
No problem!
February 25th, 2012 at 10:35 am
What I find quite remarkable is how well-funded the Paint lobby must be. Why is it that a a landlord who buys a house in 2012 can be sued millions (yes millions) for paint that could have been applied 30 + years prior? Let’s assume that 30-40 year old paint was fully encapsulated in 99% of the landlord’s house.
Why wouldn’t the owner of the house during “the lead period,” or even better..the paint company who manufactured the lead based paint be liable?
Oh, I know why…could it be that the current landlords are seen as the cash cow, fat cats who can be more easily bilked? Just watch as the landlards all start to flee this HORRIBLE city.
February 25th, 2012 at 10:56 am
Two things are wrong with your argument: First, as a landlord/property owner, it’s your responsibility to follow the law. Have your home tested, and do the lead abatement in accordance with the law. Don’t like the law? Change it or zip it. Second, if you’ve ever looked at the documents associated with a lead paint case, most attorneys are smart enopugh to cast a wide net, and go back years…if not decades…to find who’s responsible for the lead paint in a home.
And as a bonus – your “landlords will flee” argument is also flawed. I’ll leave it to you to figure out why.
March 3rd, 2012 at 7:14 pm
Please illuminate….please tell me about all the established and average landlords who are not “fleeing right now. Investors are meeting all over the city to combat this awful law. I find it very cavalier of you to think that every landlord has the resources to make their properties lead-free.
But we’re all “fat-cats,” right?
I know at least two local banks (at this point) who have stopped lending on pre-1978 houses. How many do you think will follow suit? And when the banks stop lending…how do you think landlords will buy the remaining 15-20,000 vacant city houses?
It unfortunate that people like you and our horribly corrupt and extreme liberal city politicians think that all landlords and investors are slum lords. Have you ever done a positive blog post on prominent city landlords?
The City is withering on the vine – and its the political party who has been in power for the last 50 years that is to blame! Just look at any major city in decay and you’ll find exactly the same.
March 5th, 2012 at 1:32 pm
You know what amazes me? The fact that people KNOW what the law is, yet when they’re caught, they like to cry poor. Any decent landlord KNOWS they have to make their homes lead-safe, and decent landlords…whether they have the money or not…manage to do it. And you have this group of people who somehow feel they’re above the law, or think they’ll never get caught, so they don’t spend the money to fix their homes. And somehow I’m to blame? Oh give me a break.