<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="gtp" article_name="Tax - Property" number="14-886" title_number="14" title_name="Procedure" subtitle_number="8" subtitle_name="Collection">
  <level label="a">
    <text>A homeowner shall submit an application to the Department to be enrolled in the Program.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>A homeowner may submit an application for the Program online or by mail.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The Ombudsman shall prioritize maximizing enrollment in the Program by:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>prominently advertising the Program and making applications available on the Ombudsman’s website;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>collaborating with local governments, community organizations, and public and private providers of social services and benefits to raise awareness of the Program and disseminate applications;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>strongly encouraging all homeowners who meet the eligibility requirements to enroll in the Program; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>screening each homeowner who contacts the Ombudsman for eligibility for the Program and, if the homeowner appears to be eligible, strongly encouraging the homeowner to complete an application for the Program.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>It is the intent of the General Assembly that:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>at least 2% of the balance in the Homeowner Protection Fund established under § 14–891 of this subtitle be spent each year to conduct outreach to homeowners in tax sale to encourage the homeowners to enroll in the Program;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the outreach consist of:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>live telephone calls to homeowners whenever practicable; or</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>if live telephone calls are not practicable, methods of contacting homeowners other than sending information by mail; and</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>priority be given to contacting homeowners as soon as possible after their dwellings are sold at tax sale.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Ombudsman may:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>conduct outreach to homeowners using State employees and resources; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>contract with a private vendor to conduct outreach to homeowners.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>At the request of the Ombudsman:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>promptly after each county tax sale, the collector shall provide the Ombudsman with the list of homeowners whose dwellings were sold at the tax sale;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>notwithstanding § 13–202 of the Tax – General Article, the Comptroller shall provide the telephone number of a homeowner if the homeowner included the homeowner’s telephone number on a tax return filed with the Comptroller; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>any other State or local government agency shall promptly provide any information required to conduct outreach under this subsection.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The Ombudsman may obtain information from any reliable private source to conduct outreach under this subsection.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>The Ombudsman shall cancel the enrollment of a homeowner in the Program if:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the homeowner submits a request to the Ombudsman to withdraw from the Program;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the homeowner submitted false information in the homeowner’s application for enrollment in the Program; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>the Ombudsman determines that the homeowner is not acting in good faith to pay the taxes due.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>If the Ombudsman cancels the enrollment of a homeowner in the Program, the Ombudsman shall send a notice of the cancellation to the homeowner that includes the reasons for cancellation.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>A homeowner’s enrollment in the Program ends on the earliest of:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>the date the homeowner pays the full amount of the taxes owed to the Department;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>the date that is 3 years after the date the homeowner first enrolled in the Program; or</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>the date the homeowner’s enrollment in the Program is canceled under subsection (e) of this section.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
