Bulletin: MD2024002

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Bulletin: MD2024002

Bulletin Document
V 1
Date: April 17, 2024
To: All Maryland Issuing Offices
RE: UNDERWRITING - Baltimore City Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act

Dear Associates:

Effective immediately Baltimore City’s Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (“Act”) has been revised. The revision is in addition to the existing requirements, the landlord must file an Affidavit of Compliance in the Land Records of Baltimore City as well as with the Commissioner of The Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development (“Commissioner”).

The Act applies to single-family dwelling units only, defined as “… a building that contains only 1 dwelling unit and is used only for that purpose.” (See Baltimore City Building Code § 202.2.22.4).

In order to comply with the Act for all tenant occupied properties Baltimore City:

  1. Sellers must execute the Baltimore City Affidavit of Compliance and attach to the deed to be recorded in the Land Records.
  2. Agent will need to mail the Affidavit of Compliance to the Commissioner of the Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development by First Class Mail to:

Baltimore City Department of Housing & Urban Development
417 E. Fayette Street, 14th Floor
Baltimore, MD 21202
Attention: Commissioner

Please refer to the statue found in Article 13, Sections 6-1 through 6-20 of the Baltimore City Code for a complete list of exemptions and for compliance requirements for landlords.

You can find a copy of the affidavit attached here.

You can find a copy of the Baltimore City Code at https://legislativereference.baltimorecity.gov/city-codes.

If you have any questions relating to this or other bulletins, please contact a Stewart Title Guaranty Company underwriter.

For on-line viewing of this and other bulletins, please log onto www.vuwriter.com.

THIS BULLETIN IS FURNISHED TO INFORM YOU OF CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS. AS A REMINDER, YOU ARE CHARGED WITH KNOWLEDGE OF THE CONTENT ON VIRTUAL UNDERWRITER  AS IT EXISTS FROM TIME TO TIME AS IT APPLIES TO YOU, AS WELL AS ANY OTHER INSTRUCTIONS. OUR UNDERWRITING AGREEMENTS DO NOT AUTHORIZE OUR ISSUING AGENTS TO ENGAGE IN SETTLEMENTS OR CLOSINGS ON BEHALF OF STEWART TITLE GUARANTY COMPANY. THIS BULLETIN IS NOT INTENDED TO DIRECT YOUR ESCROW OR SETTLEMENT PRACTICES OR TO CHANGE PROVISIONS OF APPLICABLE UNDERWRITING AGREEMENTS. CONFIDENTIAL, PROPRIETARY, OR NONPUBLIC PERSONAL INFORMATION SHOULD NEVER BE SHARED OR DISSEMINATED EXCEPT AS ALLOWED BY LAW. IF APPLICABLE STATE LAW OR REGULATION IMPOSES ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS, YOU SHOULD CONTINUE TO COMPLY WITH THOSE REQUIREMENTS.


References

Bulletins Replaced:
  • None
Related Bulletins:
  • None
Underwriting Manual:
  • None
Exceptions Manual:
  • None
Forms:
  • None