Bill > SB866

This bill establishes a Common Ownership Community (COC) Ombudsman Unit within the Maryland Attorney General's Office to provide support and oversight for residential communities like condominiums, cooperative housing, and homeowners associations. The Ombudsman Unit will monitor changes in laws affecting these communities, publish informative materials, help members understand their rights, and provide referrals to dispute resolution services. The unit will be led by a full-time Ombudsman who must be a member of the Maryland Bar and will be responsible for receiving and responding to complaints about final adverse decisions made by governing bodies. The bill also requires common ownership communities to file their governing documents with the Department of Housing and Community Development, which will create a public database of these documents. Additionally, the bill provides guidelines for establishing local commissions on common ownership communities in counties, detailing their composition, responsibilities, and procedures for resolving disputes between community members and governing bodies. These local commissions will have the authority to investigate disputes, offer mediation, conduct hearings, and make binding decisions, with provisions for appeal to a court of competent jurisdiction. The bill aims to improve transparency, support, and conflict resolution in residential communities across Maryland, with an effective date of July 1, 2025.

Justice

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/SB0866?ys=2025RS