§ (54). Nonresident owners, notice of code violation and appointment of receiver.

(a) Application for receiver.

Where real property in the City of Baltimore is owned by a nonresident of the State, and the nonresident owner has received notice of violation of the City's building or housing codes and the violation is not corrected within the time required, the City of Baltimore may apply to any equity court in Baltimore for the appointment of a receiver.

(b) Prior notice.

Proper notice to nonresident owners shall consist of notice sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the last known address of the nonresident owner; or, if the above method cannot be accomplished, then by publication once a week for a period of three consecutive weeks in a daily newspaper of substantial circulation published in Baltimore of a notice citing the nature of the violation and stating that in the event the notice is not complied with within the time period for correction, the City of Baltimore may apply to an equity court in Baltimore City for the appointment of a receiver.

(c) Powers and duties of receiver.

The receiver appointed is responsible for correcting the code violations, continuing maintenance of the property, collecting any rents or other income from the property and applying the rent or other income to all expenditures made for these purposes.

The receiver may let the property to a tenant.

Any expenditures so made, after crediting rent or other income, shall be a lien against the property pursuant to Article II, § (19) of this Charter, and any excess funds received shall be held for the benefit of the owners to be remitted according to law.

(d) Authority supplemental.

This section may not be construed to limit the authority of the Mayor and City Council to seek the appointment of a receiver in appropriate code violation cases when conditions at the real property constitute a nuisance or are otherwise a substantial threat to health and safety.