BALTIMORE HOUSING CRACKS DOWN ON VIOLATORS
AGENCY LAUNCHES ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM MAKING IT TOUGHER TO WORK WITHOUT A PERMIT
(BALTIMORE - August 29, 2009) - The Permits and Code Enforcement Division of Baltimore Housing has instituted aggressive new measures to ensure that all required permits are obtained before any construction work begins in Baltimore City. The new program marks the first time an automated approach has been developed to administer penalties and conduct regular re-inspections of addresses in violation.
The new strategy is expected to significantly reduce the number of people working without permits and thereby improve the overall integrity of the permit process. Through the permit process, Baltimore Housing makes certain that buildings being developed and improved meet code and that in Historic Preservation Districts, the proposed work meets historic preservation criteria.
The division has published the new rules and regulations governing the assessment of administrative penalties ranging from a written warning to the application of both a $500 citation and a $1000 permit surcharge. The most significant penalties will be applied where major work is started without a permit or outside the scope of a permit, or for any work started in a Baltimore City Historical and Architectural Preservation District without approval from the Commission for Historical and Architectural Preservation. These sanctions are intended to guarantee that the same rules apply to everyone.
According to Housing Commissioner Paul T. Graziano, “This is one more step in our continuing efforts to increase both the effectiveness and transparency of our code enforcement operations. We are tackling the culture of impunity regarding work without a permit, especially in our Historic Preservation districts.” You can view the new rules and regulations at www.baltimorehousing.org/ps_permits.asp. For more information contact Cheron Porter, Director of Communications, at 410.396.4709 or cheron.porter@habc.org.
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