If you own a home, you might end up with a lien on your property because you didn't take care of a citation related to Baltimore City codes. These citations come from breaking rules about health, safety, and making life better for everyone in the city. If you don't pay the bills linked to these citations, your property could be sold at an auction during a tax sale.
You will receive a Final Bill and a Legal Notice if you owe money to the City of Baltimore. If this notice mentions an environmental lien, and you believe the liens were issued by mistake, you can request a review of the liens from the Environmental Control Board.
The ECB only reviews environmental liens.
Requesting a Review
The ECB (Environmental Control Board) will check the citations in the Final Bill and Legal Notice to make sure they were delivered correctly and that they were given to the right person or property. But they won't look at the details of the citation or hold hearings for citations listed in the Final Bill and Legal Notice.
Environmental citations will be reviewed by the ECB on a first-come, first-served basis.
Review Process
When arriving at the ECB to have a citation reviewed, please be prepared for the following:
- Sign in so that you may be served in order of arrival.
- Meet with a clerk from the ECB. The clerk will gather all the related information, note the explanation you would like to provide, and the supporting documentation or pictures that you have to offer.
- The clerk will complete an intake form and make a copy of the presented documentation.
- A hearing officer will review the completed intake form, along with any documentation.
- The hearing officer will determine whether there was an issue with notice or if the citation was issued to the correct person or property.
- A letter will be mailed from the ECB with the Hearing Officer’s decision.
Additional Information
The Environmental Control Board is located at: 200 E. Lexington Street, Suite 100 (Mezzanine level), Baltimore, Maryland 21202.
For questions about the tax sale process: Call: 410-396-6909 or Email: environmentalcontrolboard@baltimorecity.gov.
If you are unable to come to the ECB to complete the intake process, please call April Chenier at 410-396-6909 to arrange an alternative review process.
Environmental Control Board citations can be paid online, in person at 200 N. Holliday St., or by check payable to “Director of Finance” through the mail at P.O. Box 17119, Baltimore, MD 21297.