The Sun's 2006 ground rent series

Sun investigation

Part 1 of 3: On shaky ground

Baltimore's arcane system of ground rents, widely viewed as a harmless vestige of colonial law, is increasingly being used by some investors to seize homes or extract large fees from people who often are ignorant of the loosely regulated process, an investigation by The Sun has found.

Sun investigation

Part 2 of 3: The new lords of the land

Paul W. Nochumowitz describes himself as a bail bondsman who takes home $14,000 a year and is bankrupt.

Sun investigation

Part 3 of 3: Demands for reform

As they put up houses for sale, some Baltimore entrepreneurs are reviving an old practice to make new profits.

Redeeming ground rent

Under state law, most people who are required to pay ground rent can redeem -- or buy out -- their leases. The rent holder must honor such a request.

A history of Maryland ground rents

Ground rent -- Maryland's arcane system in which thousands of homeowners lease the land under their houses -- is as much a part of Baltimore's history as crabs.

Ground rent's confusing consequences

Even people who are involved in real estate can become confused by the ground rent system. On the morning of Sept. 15, a Baltimore sheriff's deputy knocked on the door of a rowhouse in the 1100 block of N. Monroe St. as a worker did renovations inside. The deputy held a writ that said the house had a new owner.

Sun follow-up

Rush to ejectment criticized

Leaders of the Greater Baltimore Board of Realtors, which for years served as an advocate for ground rent owners, are criticizing some of them for rushing to seize houses of delinquent rent-payers ahead of a recent change in state law and are proposing to help affected homeowners.

Sun follow-up

Ground-rent owners rush to file suits

Even though a state law ending ground-rent ejectments takes effect today, Baltimore residents will for years face the prospect of having their homes seized by investors or being hit with large fees over small unpaid land debts. About 775 cases - some dating to 2003 - are pending in Baltimore Circuit Court, including more than 300 new ones filed in June as ground-rent owners rushed to get cases logged in under the old law. There were 154 lawsuits filed on Friday alone.

Sun follow-up

Ground rent suit is filed

A trustee for a ground rent owner has filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of new laws intended to reform a system that had cost hundreds of people their homes.

Ground rent bill due final votes

Final votes on a bill that would prohibit the creation of new ground rents, emerging as one of the major issues in this General Assembly session, are scheduled for tomorrow.

Ground rent called unjust

Calling the system "fundamentally unfair and unjust," Gov. Martin O'Malley joined a group of state legislators yesterday in supporting new laws to prevent homeowners from losing their houses over unpaid ground rents.

Sun follow-up

Ground rent reform plan set

Lawmakers will join Gov. Martin O'Malley today to unveil a ground rent reform package that would make sweeping changes to the arcane system by preventing home seizures, tightening notification requirements and expanding homeowners' options for buying out ground leases.

Sun follow-up

Crowd condemns ground rent system

Outrage and frustration spilled out last night at a public meeting on ground rent and tax sale property seizures in Baltimore that drew about 200 people.

Sun follow-up

O;Malley to act on ground rents

Gov.-elect Martin O'Malley intends to play a central role in efforts to reform Maryland's centuries-old ground rent laws to prevent the seizure of homes over small unpaid bills, an administration official said yesterday.

Sun follow-up

Ground rent at top of agenda

Key state lawmakers plan to meet Wednesday morning, hours before the General Assembly session opens, to try to hammer out consensus on phasing out the state's arcane system of ground rents.

Sun follow-up

Ground rent case settled -- for $18,000

The Canton family nearly tossed out of its rowhouse last week over what began as a $24 ground rent bill will get to stay, but only by paying nearly $18,000 in fees and other costs.

Sun follow-up

Clerk of court reviews suits on ground rent

The clerk of Baltimore's Circuit Court said yesterday that he ordered a review of the legal practices of a real estate attorney who has filed at least 10 lawsuits to seize homes owned by dead people over unpaid ground rent.

Sun follow-up

Family gets 3-week reprieve in city ground rent dispute

A Canton family that faced loss of its home yesterday over a ground rent lawsuit was allowed to stay there when a City Council member brokered a last-minute reprieve.

Sun follow-up

Family faces loss of home over suit

Vernon Onheiser broke down in tears as he and his two teenage sons heard that they were scheduled to lose their Canton home today over a ground rent lawsuit filed against his parents, who died about 10 years ago.

Sun follow-up

Bills to tackle ground rents

Several state legislators said yesterday that they are drafting legislation to change Maryland's arcane ground rent system, including bills to prevent homes from being seized over missed rent payments and to ban the creation of new land leases.