A sweeping ordinance designed to tighten oversight on Baltimore’s rental market hit significant legal roadblocks during its first City Council committee hearing Tuesday.
The Rental Dwelling Health & Safety Act, sponsored by Councilwoman Odette Ramos, aims to strip the anonymity from shell companies, mandate public audits of licensed properties, and grant the city power to disqualify negligent housing inspectors.
During the hours-long hearing, residents described living in “deplorable” conditions, including rodent infestations and structural leaks. Housing advocates noted that enforcement failures have left an estimated 46,000 Baltimore row homes unlicensed and below code.
