Complaint.
Baltimore City Code, Article 28, § 8.1-7
in effect§ 8.1-7. Complaint.
(a) Pre-complaint notice.
(1) In general.
Prior to filing a complaint under this subtitle, the Department shall send notice by certified mail, restricted delivery, return receipt requested, to the record owner of the subject property at the tax address on record among the City’s real property records.
(2) Contents.
The notice required by this subsection shall:
(i) clearly identify the property;
(ii) identify the tax and other municipal liens due to the Mayor and City Council; and
(iii) state that unless full payment of all municipal liens is made to the Department of Finance within 30 days, the Department may file an in rem foreclosure action in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City and seek the vesting of title to the property in the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore.
(b) In general.
The Department may file a complaint in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City to initiate an in rem foreclosure action if:
(1) the property otherwise meets the specifications in § 8.1-3(b) {“Applicable properties”} of this subtitle;
(2) the Department has sent the notice required by subsection (a) of this section; and
(3) the full payment of municipal liens has not been paid within 30 days from the date the notice described in paragraph (2) of this subsection was sent.
(c) Contents.
A complaint filed under this section shall include:
(1) a description of the property as it appears in City land records;
(2) the tax identification number of the property;
(3) a statement that taxes for the property are delinquent at the time of filing;
(4) the amount of taxes that are delinquent for the property at the time of filing;
(5) the names and last known addresses of all interested parties to the property and, if applicable, a statement that the address of a particular interested party to the property is unknown;
(6) a statement that the property is either:
(i) a vacant lot; or
(ii) an improved property cited by the Department as vacant and unsafe or unfit for habitation or another authorized use;
(7) if the Department states that the property is an improved property cited by the Department as vacant and unsafe or unfit for habitation or another authorized use, a copy of any relevant notices or citations issued by the Department;
(8) a request that the Circuit Court not schedule a hearing on the complaint until 30 days after the date that the complaint has been filed; and
(9) a request that the Circuit Court enter a judgment that:
(i) forecloses the existing interests of all interested parties to the property; and
(ii) orders ownership of the property to be transferred to the City.
(d) Amendment.
A complaint filed under this section may be amended to include all taxes that become delinquent after the commencement of the in rem foreclosure action.
(e) Cure.
(1) Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, an interested party may cure the delinquent taxes and liens on the property by paying all past due fees, payments, and penalties at any time prior to the entry of the foreclosure judgment.
(2) An interested party may not cure the delinquent taxes and liens on the property by paying all past due fees, payments, and penalties after the entry of the foreclosure judgment.
(Ord. 22-124; Ord. 20-393.)
Source: City of Baltimore Department of Legislative Reference, City of Baltimore Law Library (codes.baltimorecity.gov; Open Law Library bulk XML)URL: https://codes.baltimorecity.gov/us/md/cities/baltimore/code/28/8.1-7Fetched: 10/25/2026