Md. Code Regs. 18.18.01.03

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 19, September 20, 2024

Section 18.18.01.03 - Additional Eligibility Criteria

A. The Department has established additional eligibility criteria for the Program in accordance with Tax-Property Article, §14-885(b), Annotated Code of Maryland.

B. Additional Eligibility Criteria.

(1) Enrollment From Every County. The maximum number of homeowners who may be enrolled in the Program in a given fiscal year will be proportionately divided among the 23 counties and Baltimore City based on the percentage of Statewide property tax sales occurring within each jurisdiction, as determined by the Ombudsman.

(2) Limit on Total Outstanding Tax Debt. To ensure that homeowners are enrolled in the Program who reside in each jurisdiction in a given fiscal year, the Ombudsman may set a maximum amount of total outstanding tax debt that the Department will incur on behalf of any one dwelling.

(3) Affordability Requirement. The total outstanding tax debt paid by the Department on behalf of an enrollee under Tax-Property Article, §14-887, Annotated Code of Maryland, may not exceed an amount that may reasonably be expected to be repaid by the enrollee within a three-year period. Consideration will be given to the homeowner's income, expenses other than total outstanding tax debt, and the likelihood of receiving tax credits, grants, and other benefits.

(4) Long-term homeowner enrollment preference. Applications from homeowners whose dwelling has been their principal residence for at least 10 years as of the date of application will be given enrollment preference over other applicants from the same jurisdiction.

Md. Code Regs. 18.18.01.03

Regulation .03 adopted effective 49:25 Md. R.1041-1070, eff. 12/12/2022