by Raymond Daniel Burke | May 30, 2013
A bill to license and regulate property managers that had passed in the Maryland House of Delegates died in committee in the Maryland Senate. By a vote of 103 – 35, the House had passed HB 576, which would establish a new regulatory agency for the licensing of community managers of condominiums, cooperative housing corporations, and homeowners associations.
However, a cross-filed bill in the Senate never made it out of committee. (more…)
by Raymond Daniel Burke | May 21, 2013
Governor Martin O’Mally has signed legislation passed by the Maryland Senate and House of Delegates that permits closed condominium board meetings for the purpose of discussion business transactions. House Bill 388 and Senate Bill 197 were both approved by unanimous votes in each house of the Maryland General Assembly. The new law amends Section 11-109.1 of the Maryland Condominium Act to provide that the board of directors of a condominium council of unit owners may meet in closed session for “consideration of the terms or conditions of a business transaction in the negotiation stage if disclosure could adversely affect the economic interests of the council of unit owners.” The Governor signed the bill into law on April 9, 2013, and the amendment will take effect on October 1, 2013. (more…)
by Raymond Daniel Burke | May 20, 2013
Governor Martin O’Malley has signed into law legislation passed by the Maryland General Assembly that amends the Maryland Contract Lien Act as it relates to the foreclosure of liens by condominiums and homeowners associations. The new law modifies Section 14-204 of the Real Property Article of the Maryland Annotated Code to prohibit condominiums and homeowners associations from foreclosing on liens for anything other than delinquent periodic or special assessments; meaning that unpaid fines may not be the basis for a lien foreclosure. Additionally, the new law requires that related costs and fees be limited to “reasonable costs and attorney’s fees directly related to the filing of the lien and not exceeding the amount of the delinquent assessments.” (more…)
