Kristina Moore said she discovered a six-figure water debt after taking ownership of her late father's Baltimore home — and said the charges belong to an entire neighborhood, not just the house she inherited.
She said the unresolved balance has blocked any sale of the property and left her trying to figure out how it happened.
What happened?
According to WBFF, Moore first learned of the problem in April, when a shutoff warning was posted at the Northeast Baltimore home, giving 45 days before water service could be cut.
Moore said her house is in Springwood Estates, a 37-townhome development built in the 1970s that is served by one master water meter. She said that the shared account is nevertheless listed under her property's address.
"When my father passed, I thought the house would be the easy part, but it clearly wasn't," Moore said.
Moore's realtor, Lisa Ciofani, told Fox 45 that the homeowners association's governing documents indicate the HOA, rather than Moore, is supposed to cover the water bill.
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HOA President Regina Johnson also told the station that the association collects money from residents and pays the community's water charges, but she said she could not explain how the total exceeded $200,000.
The situation became even more confusing after a May 28 email from a senior adviser to Baltimore City Council President Zeke Cohen, stating that documentation had been provided "to get the lien off of the property."
However, on July 8, the advisor reportedly sent a different update, according to Fox 45, saying the HOA could enter a payment plan and that "the lien will remain in place until the full balance is paid."
Why does it matter?
A lien of this size can wipe out the value of what is often a family's largest asset.
Moore said city officials are effectively treating her home as collateral for neighborhood water use, leaving her unable to sell the property or move forward.
The case also highlights the risks tied to master-meter billing systems, where a single account serves multiple households.
When responsibility is unclear, debt can accumulate for years, and residents may have little visibility into how much water is being used, whether bills are being paid, or whether waste goes unnoticed.
The dispute also raises questions about HOA governance.
Across the country, HOAs have faced criticism for preventing homeowners from making money-saving upgrades, such as installing rooftop solar panels or replacing thirsty grass with native plant lawns. Homeowners dealing with rigid or outdated rules can often work with HOAs if they know where to start.
What's being done?
Moore and Ciofani are urging Baltimore officials to move the master-meter account off the individual home and back to the HOA.
"Our whole thing is just put the address for this meter back with the HOA," Ciofani said, according to Fox 45. "I don't understand how they can hold her liable for 37 properties."
The station asked Baltimore City's Department of Public Works to confirm the balance, explain why the master meter is tied to one residence, and clarify who is legally responsible.
The DPW declined to discuss the account, citing the Maryland Public Information Act and saying it could not release billing information tied to "a specific customer's water account."
Utility histories, lien records, and HOA documents can all affect a purchase, inheritance, or property listing.
In communities with master meters, key questions include who holds the account, how charges are divided, and whether any past-due balances already exist.
"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," Moore said.
Ciofani added: "Here's my question to Baltimore City: How would you like it if it was happening to you?"
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