BALTIMORE — Some Baltimore homeowners are finding out after closing that the properties they bought were never properly permitted, and fixing the problem is anything but simple.
Robin and Jerome Richburg spent years trying to obtain a use and occupancy permit, something that should have come with their home. Like hundreds of other Baltimore homeowners, they learned too late it was never issued.
The couple thought it was a prank at first. A city worker left a vacant sign on their front door six months after they bought the rehabbed home. It was no joke.
"She informed us that our home did not have a U&O on it, a use and occupancy," Richburg said.
This is a problem affecting around 400 Baltimore homeowners who bought rehabbed properties where permits were never closed out and vacant building notices were never cleared.
In 2021, the city passed a law requiring sellers to disclose vacant building notices in sales contracts, but the Richburgs bought their home in 2020. Since then, they have been trying to fix it.
"Had an inspector come out, the inspector came out, passed the electrical, and was like, oh yeah, you still need plumbing and a mechanical, so we can't give you a U&O," Richburg said.
Knowing how costly and complicated this can be, Richburg reached out to WMAR-2 News Mallory Sofastaii who connected her with Councilwoman Odette Ramos. Ramos sponsored both the disclosure law and a vacant property tax hike set to take effect this July.
"Three times the tax rate, that is correct," Ramos said. "I don't want them to have the higher taxes as a result of something that was completely not something that they created."
After our initial report aired earlier this month, Councilwoman Ramos put Richburg in touch with city inspectors.
"They did a pretty thorough walk through with my husband and checked out some things. There was one item that they noted that we had to get repaired, which we had done, and sent that over to them to show proof that it had been done and then from there they went ahead and issued the U&O," Richburg said.
She is now waiting for confirmation that the vacant building notice will be removed and that they will avoid the triple tax hike.
"I'll feel completely at ease once we get that thumbs up from code enforcement, but it is a bit of relief because at least now we know we have the use and occupancy. So, in the eyes of Baltimore, we're allowed to occupy our home now," Richburg said.
But there is still another hurdle. Richburg is now fighting a $1,000 fine issued this month for failing to abate the notice.
"Which I'm waiting for a hearing for, but even with that, like who, like the average person just can't afford that. So to be penalized for something that you had nothing to do with. It's just, it's terrible," Richburg said.
She hopes this is nearly behind her but urges other homeowners to act quickly before costs add up.
"I don't want to look at my camera and see another code enforcer hurrying up and ringing the bell and trying to get away," Richburg said.
This case is also a reminder to home buyers in Baltimore to check for a vacant building notice by visiting the city's CodeMap website and searching the address.
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