SerpApi.Org
When a woman from Baltimore inherited her late father's house, she was shocked as it came with a massive water bill that she says belongs to the whole neighborhood.
Kristina Moore received a water bill of $228,000 when she inherited her childhood home. The bill came with a warning of 45 days and if she failed to pay it in that time, a notice warned that her water access would be cut off.
"When my father passed, I thought the house would be the easy part, but it clearly wasn't," Moore told ABC7.
Moore said she had no idea the debt existed on the Baltimore home until she received the notice in April. "It's overwhelming because they're telling me my property has no value to it," Moore said.
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The home compound, built in the 1970s, is part of the Springwood Estates and consists of 37 other homes. Moore said the debt has existed for decades. She said the water supply for all the homes is tied to a central master water meter, which is tied to her address. Because of this, she is being asked to take responsibility for all the water usage.
"I actually thought initially that it wouldn't be my responsibility to pay, so I contacted the HOA,” Moore said.
“And we provided the covenants and restrictions that clearly state that the HOA is in fact responsible for paying it,” added her relator, Lisa Ciofani.
Ciofani said that it is not unusual for such home owner associations to share a water meter, but having the account tied to a single home is odd.
"Our whole thing is just put the address for this meter back with the HOA," Ciofani said, "I don't understand how they can hold her liable for 37 properties."
HOA President Regina Johnson confirmed to FOX45 that the association was responsible for collecting the payment from residents. She added that she could not confirm how the balance had grown so much over the years.
“Lisa and I went to DPW (the Department of Public Works) and pulled the lien sheet,” said Moore, “They’re telling me my property is responsible for this bill, and I can’t sell it until it’s paid in full.”
A senior advisor in Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohen's office wrote in an email obtained by FOX45 earlier in May, "We are moving things along. Ms. Regina has provided the documentation needed to get the lien off of the property."
But a while later, the update changed and the official said that the lien would remain on the property until the full balance was paid.
Moore reacted to this and said, "This is my childhood home. I graduated from Morgan State. I work in the city, so I feel let down by the city. I think it's sad."
