Boarding House Definition Becomes Clear In Baltimore County

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — The rules around boarding or rooming houses will change in Baltimore County, after a bill passed Monday night at the County Council's legislative session.

A boarding or rooming house has been defined as a building where the owner does not live, and at least three people are living there and paying rent. If they are guests and are not paying rent, the burden of proof is on the owner; and lying about it will become a crime.

For knowingly making a false statement about the status of those in a boarding house through any application, record, report, plan or other document filed or required by County Code, a person will be found guilty of a misdemeanor, leading to up to 30 days in jail and/or a maximum $1,000 fine.

Apartment buildings, hotels and care homes are excluded from the definition of a boarding house, which must be in a single-family home that is not nearby another boarding house.

Loch Raven Village residents were concerned about a person renting a townhouse to four college students, according to The Baltimore Sun, which reported code enforcement officials who tried to intervene were informed the people living there were not paying rent, so the owner was exempt from the county's regulations around boarding houses. These stipulate how many parking spots are required and other inspections be done regularly.