Woman says inherited home came with $228,000 water bill tied to neighborhood use

BALTIMORE (WBFF) — What should have been a fresh start after losing her father has become a financial nightmare for one Baltimore woman. Kristina Moore says when she inherited her late father’s Northeast Baltimore home, she also inherited a water bill exceeding $200,000 — a debt she insists belongs to the entire neighborhood, not just her family.

“When my father passed, I thought the house would be the easy part, but it clearly wasn’t,” Moore said.

Moore says she had no idea the debt existed until April, when she found a notice from the city taped to the front door, warning that water service could be shut off within 45 days due to the unpaid balance.

“It’s overwhelming because they’re telling me my property has no value to it,” Moore said.

According to Moore, the problem dates back decades. The home is part of the Springwood Estates community, a neighborhood of 37 townhomes built in the 1970s. Moore says the development is served by a single master water meter, but the account for that meter is tied to her property’s address. She says that has left her home carrying responsibility for the neighborhood’s water usage.

Kristina Moore says when she inherited her late father’s Northeast Baltimore home, she also inherited a water bill exceeding $200,000 — a debt she insists belongs to the entire neighborhood, not just her family. (WBFF)

“I actually thought initially that it wouldn’t be my responsibility to pay, so I contacted the HOA,” Moore said.

“And we provided the covenants and restrictions that clearly state that the HOA is in fact responsible for paying it,” added her relator, Lisa Ciofani.

Ciofani says master water meters are not uncommon in homeowners’ association communities. What she says is unusual is having the account tied to a single residence.

“Our whole thing is just put the address for this meter back with the HOA,” Ciofani said, “I don’t understand how they can hold her liable for 37 properties.”

FOX45 contacted the president of the Springwood Estates Homeowners Association. Although she declined an on-camera interview, HOA President Regina Johnson confirmed the association is responsible for collecting money from residents and paying the community’s water bill. However, she said she could not explain how the balance grew to more than $200,000 and declined to answer additional questions.

“Lisa and I went to DPW (the Department of Public Works) and pulled the lien sheet,” said Moore, “They’re telling me my property is responsible for this bill, and I can’t sell it until it’s paid in full.”

After months of back and forth with DPW and city leaders, Moore says answers have been hard to come by. In an email obtained by FOX45 dated May 28, a senior advisor in Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohen’s office wrote, “We are moving things along. Ms. Regina has provided the documentation needed to get the lien off of the property.”

But over a month later, on July 8, the advisor provided a different update, writing that the HOA had been approved for a payment plan, but that “the lien will remain in place until the full balance is paid.”

When asked for her reaction to that response, Moore said, “This is my childhood home. I graduated from Morgan State. I work in the city, so I feel let down by the city. I think it’s sad.”

Ciofani adds, “Here’s my question to Baltimore City, how would you like it if it was happening to you?”

FOX45 has reached out to Baltimore City’s Department of Public Works with the following questions:

• Can you confirm the current balance and explain how it reached approximately $228,000?
• Is the account associated with a master meter serving the Springwood Estates community? If so, why is the account tied to this individual property?
• Who is legally responsible for payment of the account—the homeowner, the HOA, or another entity?
• Does DPW believe Ms. Moore is responsible for this debt? If so, on what basis?
• Has DPW conducted any investigation into whether the billing arrangement for this community is appropriate?
• Is DPW taking any steps to address or resolve this matter?

In response, DPW said it could not discuss the account because it involves “a specific customer’s water account” and cited the Maryland Public Information Act, writing that it “cannot disclose account or billing information to a third party without the account holder’s authorization.”

FOX45 responded that many of the questions submitted did not seek protected customer information, but instead asked about DPW’s policies regarding master-meter accounts and how this situation occurred. We also noted that water account balances are publicly searchable online and asked DPW to identify which specific questions it believes are exempt under the Maryland Public Information Act. As of publication, DPW had not provided any additional responses.