Annapolis, MD (January 17, 2008) - Comptroller Peter Franchot's Office, in conjunction with the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), today briefed the House of Delegate's Environmental Matters Committee on their recent efforts to inform Marylanders of the newly implemented statewide Ground Rent Registration System.

"It is great to join forces with other state agencies to impart positive change for Maryland," said Comptroller Franchot. "SDAT has done an exceptional job of implementing this new system and my office is taking measures to assist them in making sure that Marylanders are aware of it."

According to SDAT Associate Director Robert Young, Maryland did not have a central registry which housed records for the approximately 115,000 properties associated with ground rent in Maryland. Most of these properties are found in Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Anne Arundel County; while, other counties have a small number of properties that are attached to a ground rent.

Following the devastation of many families losing their homes due to delinquent ground rent payments, the General Assembly found it imperative to enact legislation that would protect both the ground rent owner, as well as the leaser.

SDAT designed the Ground Rent Registration System to allow property owners and other interested parties to visit the Department's website and see if any particular property associated with a ground rent has been registered. Additionally, the system allows the ground rent owner to register the property online. Once the forms are completed, the form is available as document images via the Agency's website for viewing purposes.

SDAT has conducted several public information and outreach efforts to advise interested persons about the existence of the new law, including sending out press releases, speaking before professional groups, and placing ads in local newspapers.

The Comptroller's office has devoted a page in the 2007 Resident Tax Booklet to SDAT, which includes information prepared by SDAT regarding House Bill 580 and the registration system. Additionally, a link has been added to the Comptroller's website that directs people to the registration system homepage. Lastly, SDAT prepared a notice about the system that has been distributed to all Comptroller of Maryland branch offices to be displayed in the form racks and placed on the bulletin boards.

Currently, SDAT has had approximately 14,589 hits to the Ground rent Registration System website since it was launched on October 1, 2007. However, they have reviewed, processed, and placed images on its website for approximately 1,106 ground rent registrations received from 792 different filers. The completed registrations have been made on residential properties located in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Harford County, and Howard County.

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Contact: Caron Brace, (410) 260-7438 (office), (410) 212-9414 (cell)