An Ocean City condominium complex that was shut down last week by the city’s construction official amid safety concerns will remain closed until structural repairs are made. For now, red tags have been slapped on the Seaspray condos at 34th Street and Bay Avenue declaring that the buildings are currently “unsafe for human occupancy.” Read […]
Ocean City Condo Complex Shut Down Amid Safety Concerns (MD)
An Ocean City condominium complex with a history of alleged structural problems dating back more than 40 years has been declared unsafe and was closed down by the city. Ocean City’s construction official issued “unsafe structural notices” and ordered the Seaspray condos to be vacated until repairs can be made, city spokesman Doug Bergen said. […]
Microwave starts fire at condominium building in Harford County (MD)
A microwave started a fire at a condominium building in Harford County, according to the Maryland State Fire Marshal. A neighbor of the occupant heard a smoke alarm and later discovered the occupant inside her apartment with heavy smoke, fire officials said. Another neighbor assisted her out of the apartment. Read the article…………………………….
Extreme Hoarding Conditions Hinder Firefighters Battling Maryland Blaze
Hoarding conditions made things difficult for fire crews on Sunday afternoon who were called in to battle a blaze that broke out in a Harford County duplex, officials say. Read the article…………………………….
Riviera Beach residents told not to touch debris washed up from Key Bridge collapse (MD)
Debris, including large pieces of wood, has washed up on the shores of a riverfront neighborhood in Anne Arundel County following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Members of the Riviera Beach Community Association say they are concerned and are looking for guidance. Read the article…………………………….
Condo building burns up in fire in Bowie (MD)
Fire crews in Prince George’s County are working to put out a fire that burned through a condo building on Monday. The fire department responded just after 1 p.m. to the multi-family dwelling which is a condo building. Flames were showing through the roof, and the fire has caused significant damage. Read the article…………………………….
Worcester lawmakers talk bills on condo repairs, fallen hero taxes, more (MD)
The House Environment and Transportation Committee heard a bill sponsored by Del. Wayne Hartman (R-38C) on March 5. House Bill 1262, or Common Ownership Communities-Reserve Studies-Alterations, would extend the timeline for required condominium repairs determined by an assessment from three to five years. Read the article…………………………….
Proposed Legislation Would Reduce Percentage Required For Declaration Amendments (MD)
Proposed legislation pending in the Maryland General Assembly would reduce the percentage of approval votes required to amend a condominium declaration from 80 percent to 66 2/3 percent. Read the article…………………………….
Columbia Association board on track to select a new leader by late April (MD)
A year after Columbia Association’s president and CEO resigned amid tensions with the board, board members say they are “on track” to pick a new leader by the end of April. Columbia Association, a massive homeowners group that in many ways functions like a city government, has been without a full-time president and CEO since […]
A 2022 law required HOAs to assess maintenance needs. Now it’s time to pay up (MD)
Maryland community associations are finding themselves squeezed by a 2022 law intended to ensure maintenance of condominiums and similar housing, but which is resulting in thousands of dollars in surprise fees and assessments that are leaving some residents struggling to make ends meet. Read the article………………………….
Maryland judge sides with insurer in dispute involving 22 damaged condo roofs
A condo association submitted a claim to Philadelphia Indemnity, alleging a storm damaged the roofs of 22 condominium buildings that required replacement, claiming the replacement costs of the roofs totaled more than $1.1 million. Meanwhile, Philadelphia Indemnity estimated that the storm-related damages and repairs came in around $38,000. Read the article…………………………………
ARC process now reflects HOA rules (MD)
The Ocean Pines Association Board of Directors approved two resolutions to conform with the Maryland HOA Act related to Architectural Review Committee guidelines. The changes related to the workings of the committee and enforcement/notification of homeowners about violations. Read the article…………………………..
Final investigation report into Potomac Oaks condominium explosion released (MD)
Tuesday night, the 21-page final investigation report from the explosion at Potomac Oaks Condominiums was released. The report was released, after WUSA9 pressed both the City of Gaithersburg and Montgomery County for answers on the one-year anniversary of the explosion. Read the article………………………..
‘It’s torture by a thousand cuts’ | Residents still search for answers one year after Potomac Oaks Condominiums explosion (MD)
On November 16, 2022, a 36-year-old man reportedly took his own life setting off a chain of events that caused an explosion at the Potomac Oaks Condominiums. The explosion left 14 people injured but only the 36-year-old man was killed. Montgomery County Department of Police Chief Marcus Jones said in 2022 that investigators have no […]
Insurance costs jump 40-150 percent for some OC condos, property managers say (MD)
As coastal condominium and cooperative housing associations in Ocean City renew the insurance on their buildings this year, some are seeing the price of plans more than double. Read the article………………………………
Ocean City condo owners face huge bills after new Maryland law mandates reserve funds
Some Ocean City condominium owners are facing five-to-six digit bills over the next few years as they rush to meet a deadline set by new state law that requires associations to fill accounts reserved for maintenance, repairs and replacements. Read the article………………………………
Tropical Storm Ophelia rips roof off of condo in Ocean City (MD)
Residents in Ocean City are feeling the full effects of Tropical Storm Ophelia, as it continues to push water further and further on the beach and even rip the roof off of the Sand Penny condo building. Read the article………………………..
Bel Air 2-alarm condo fire leaves 26 people displaced (MD)
The fire took 75 firefighters from multiple companies to contain, while investigators confirmed it was a lightning strike that caused the fire. Residents reported hearing the strike and then smelling burning a short time later. The fire initially struck the roof, then collapsed into the third floor, causing portions of the other floors to collapse. […]
A year after collapsed condo ceiling trapped woman, still no repairs (MD)
When the ceiling falls at a condominium, who’s responsible? It’s a battle one condo owner has been in for the past year. “We’re going into month 14 of the condo being in this condition,” condo owner Merry Wiley said. Read the article………………………..
Condo owners frustrated with leaking, possible mold in Prince George’s Co. building (MD)
Some condominium owners in a Prince George’s County building said they are dealing with leaks and living with mold. The owners said the issue is starting outside of their unit, which means the “condo” association should be taking care of it, and owners say they’re not handling it properly. Read the article………………………..
More details on new state HOA law (MD)
In last week’s article, we reviewed the Maryland General Assembly’s new legislation requiring all condominiums, homeowner associations, and housing cooperatives to undertake regular reserve studies of common area components, under House Bill 107. Read the article………………………..
Condo common areas studies required now (MD)
The Maryland General Assembly has passed new legislation, effective Oct.1, requiring all condominiums, homeowner associations, and housing cooperatives to undertake regular reserve studies of common area components. Read the article………………………..
Residents file class-action lawsuit over lead paint chips from TV Hill tower (MD)
The company operating the tower developed the initial cleanup plan, said Jessica Meyer, president of the Woodberry Community Association. After the city asked for work on the tower to cease, the community association issued a list of demands asking for further outreach and transparency. Read the article………………………..
Class Action Claims Certain Maryland Homeowners Charged Illegal Fees on HOA Dues
A proposed class action alleges Associations, Inc. (Associa), Select Community Services (SCS) and HOAM Ventures unlawfully charge a $2.95 convenience fee when collecting monthly homeowners’ association (HOA) dues from Maryland homeowners. Read the article………………………..
Neighbors in Henry’s Mill Flooded With Concern Over Stormwater Management (MD)
Another issue stems from Henry’s Green not having an HOA, so Henry’s Mill HOA president Candi Combs said maintenance costs fall on her neighborhood. “Henry’s Green, they don’t have an HOA so we’re solely responsible for the maintenance of this pond, we get all their stormwater,” said Combs. Read the article………………………..
‘It’s about time’ | Fire investigation report from Potomac Oaks explosion shared with residents (MD)
Monday afternoon, residents of the Potomac Oaks Condominiums, who’ve been displaced since November got a major update. It has been nearly four months since the explosion at Potomac Oaks Condominium in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Read the article………………………..
Berlin Residents Express Frustration Over Drainage Issues (MD)
Jim Herman, a resident of Henry’s Mill Drive, said he consistently had drainage issues on his property. He says those issues are caused by neighboring Henry’s Green. “It’s not fair for the Henry’s Mill people to have to pay for that,” he said. “It’s not their development that caused the problem…We need help.” Tyndall said […]
‘You feel helpless’: 2nd Lennar homeowner reaches out to 7 On Your Side for rodent issues (MD/VA)
Just days after a Maryland man reached out to 7News On Your Side because of a rodent problem in his new construction home built by home construction company Lennar, a Woodbridge woman said she is going through the same thing — right down to Lennar not helping with issues for which they believe the builders […]
Judge grants public water access to Wells Cove in Eastport (MD)
Residents of the Blue Heron Cove condominiums cannot block the public from accessing Spa Creek in their community, an Anne Arundel County Circuit Court judge ruled Wednesday. Read the article………………………..
Condo management responds after months of requests for updates on the Potomac Oaks Condominium explosion (MD)
It has been nearly four months since the explosion at Potomac Oaks Condominium in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Fourteen people were hurt and Maryland’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner identified a body pulled from the explosion rubble as 36-year-old Juan Pablo Marshall Quizon. His manner of death was ruled a suicide, and the cause of death was […]
‘It’s bad enough we were in the explosion!’ | Potomac Oaks Condo resident says he made shocking discovery inside his ‘condemned’ home (MD)
What was once their homes is now debris and disappointment. The debris was caused by an explosion on Nov. 16, 2022. The disappointment was caused by what one tenant told WUSA9 he discovered on Saturday. “We found loose syringes all over the place. All the jewelry boxes had been dumped out on the bed and […]
These Gaithersburg Families Lost Their Homes. Three Months Later, They Don’t Know Where To Turn For Help (MD)
When his condo exploded, Marc Saint-Jour could see the smoke from his law firm’s office window. Just seconds before, he’d been on the phone with his wife. She was in their home at Potomac Oaks Condominium with their seven-month old baby, and had just called him twice: the first time, to ask him if he […]
Baltimore County agrees to discount inequitable wastewater bills for some Pikesville condo owners
Baltimore County condominium owners are ‘frustrated’ by a settlement that will save some of them hundreds of dollars on yearly sewer charges, after an internal consultant’s report found broad inconsistencies in Baltimore County’s utility billing system. Read the article………………………..
Three months, still unanswered questions for those who lived in the Potomac Oaks Condo that exploded (MD)
It’s been three months since an explosion and fire at a Gaithersburg condo complex. Fourteen people were hurt and Maryland’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner identified a body pulled from the explosion rubble as 36-year-old Juan Pablo Marshall Quizon. His manner of death was ruled a suicide, and the cause of death was determined […]
Md. high court disbars attorney who withheld default judgment from client
A unanimous Maryland Supreme Court last week disbarred a Lanham attorney whose client, a homeowners’ association, discovered it had lost in court only after its bank had withdrawn the damages award from its account. Read the article………………………..
Columbia Association faces uncertain future as CEO Lakey Boyd’s resignation is accepted and two others depart (MD)
The Columbia Association’s board of directors announced Thursday afternoon that it has accepted the resignation of CEO and President Lakey Boyd “effective immediately.” Read the article………………………..
Couple’s feud with homeowners association over lawn leads to change in state law: ‘If they fight back, they can win’ (MD)
Janet and Jeff Crouch have spent over 20 years turning their yard into a refuge for local wildlife, growing native plants that provide shelter and food for birds and pollinating insects. Read the article………………………..
Columbia Association board denies rumors about Lakey Boyd’s job security, issues plan to ‘improve the relationship’ with CEO (MD)
The Columbia Association board of directors issued its first public comments Friday on President and CEO Lakey Boyd’s job status after months of speculation that it was moving to terminate the leader of the nonprofit entity, which serves as the de facto governing body of Maryland’s second-largest city. Read the article………………………..
After condo explosion, displaced families are paying fees on homes that ‘no longer exist’ (MD)
One of the families told WUSA9 that they’ve been left in the dark about when their home will be rebuilt, as they continue to pay homeowner association fees. Read the article………………………..
Some residents want recall of Columbia Association board members (MD)
A public argument over the direction of Maryland’s second largest city erupted Monday as a group of residents called for the recall of Columbia Association board members to prevent them from ousting the association’s top paid staff member. Read the article………………………..
Is this the end of the manicured lawn? (MD)
A Maryland couple was ordered by their homeowner association to rip out their wildlife-friendly plantings for a manicured lawn. Instead they sued – and ended up changing state law. Watch the news report……………………………..
Displaced Gaithersburg condo explosion residents visit, but cannot salvage belongings from rubble (MD)
A disheartening homecoming Monday for people whose homes were destroyed in last month’s Montgomery County condominium explosion. The families impacted by the disaster are still living with a great deal of uncertainty. For many, when they arrived to their former Gaithersburg homes, it was like stepping back into a nightmare. Read the article………………………..
Gaithersburg families remain in limbo weeks after condo explosion(MD)
Nearly three weeks after an explosion rocked a Montgomery County community, homeowners are still in limbo. “I would say the current status is, there’s still a lot of we don’t know and a lot of confusion and a lot of answers that are still remaining,” said Traci DiMartini, who owns a condo at Potomac Oaks […]
Maryland Woman Who Lost Condo in Explosion: Thanksgiving Has ‘Whole New Meaning’
Many residents who lost their homes in an explosion in Gaithersburg, Maryland, last week are trying to figure out their next steps amid a season that is supposed to be filled with joy and gratitude. Read the article………………………..
Columbia Association CEO denied request to challenge her evaluation as board maintains silence (MD)
The elected directors of the Columbia Association in Howard County have determined that the organization’s CEO has no right to appeal an annual evaluation that she says contains wildly conflicting accounts of her performance and has no actionable steps for improvement – and may be a document they are using to oust her. Read the […]
Police: Suicide note found from body of man recovered following Gaithersburg condo explosion (MD)
A man who was found dead after an explosion at a Gaithersburg Condominium died by suicide, firefighters said Friday. Juan Pablo Marshall Quizon, 36, made suicidal statements to neighbors, and officers found a suicide note, according to officials. Read the article………………………..
Police looking at Gaithersburg condo explosion as possible ‘criminal, intentional act’ after body recovered (MD)
Rescue crews recovered a body one day after a condominium complex explosion in Montgomery County, and the police chief said he is launching a criminal investigation into the incident that left at least 14 people injured. Read the article………………………..
Some residents remain unaccounted for after explosion at Potomac Oaks Condominiums in Gaithersburg (MD)
Some residents of Potomac Oaks Condominiums in Montgomery County remain unaccounted for Thursday after an explosion rocked the complex Wednesday morning leaving as many as 13 hurt and causing considerable damage to several buildings. Watch the news report……………………………..
Maryland condo explosion leaves 12 people, including 4 kids, injured
Acondo explosion in Gaithersburg, Maryland, left a dozen people injured, two of them critically, kicking off a massive search-and-rescue operation Wednesday, the Montgomery County fire chief said. Read the article………………………..
A coup in Columbia? A dynamic leader faces a disgruntled board in Maryland’s second-largest city.
It was deep into the third hour of a dry meeting on budgets and ethics policies when the president of the Columbia Association directed a stark question to the board that just 18 months ago hired her for one of the most prominent leadership positions in Howard County. Read the article………………………..