A Baltimore property manager says a city housing inspector took a $100 cash payment in exchange for giving a troubled Federal Hill rowhome a passing grade, even though a safety issue was still unresolved. Khristopher Hamlin, owner of Next Key Property Management, says the unit had already failed a Housing Authority inspection with more than two dozen violations, and that one remaining problem, a grate missing from a front basement window, was overlooked during repairs. He says he has now filed a formal complaint with the Housing Authority of Baltimore City and reached out to multiple oversight offices.
Manager's Account and the Missing Grate
Hamlin told WMAR‑2 News that during the follow-up inspection, the city inspector asked how badly he needed a passing result, then asked for money. Hamlin described a back-and-forth conversation that ended, he says, with him handing over $100 and receiving a passing certificate that same day.
The property had originally failed HABC's inspection with "over 26 issues," according to Hamlin, who says that after the payment incident, he chose to rent the house to a market-rate tenant rather than through the Housing Authority. WMAR‑2 News reviewed inspection records for the home, as well as the passing letter Hamlin provided.
Agency Response and Oversight
In a statement to WMAR‑2 News, a spokesperson for the Housing Authority of Baltimore City said that "all inspectors are required to follow the Housing Quality Standards outlined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development" and that the authority is reviewing the allegation.
Hamlin says he also contacted the Baltimore City Office of the Inspector General and was advised to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Inspector General. He says he has since spoken with an HABC investigator about the matter.
Inspection Trust and Recent Enforcement Actions
The claim lands at a time when inspection integrity in Maryland is under sharper scrutiny. Reporting by The Baltimore Banner, followed by state enforcement actions, recently led to the invalidation of hundreds of lead-inspection certificates and criminal charges against a certified inspector, highlighting how faulty or fraudulent inspections can endanger residents.
The Baltimore City Office of Inspector General has previously warned that contractors and others have offered money to city inspectors, and the office has published an investigative synopsis on its site describing that concern.
What Comes Next
If Hamlin's allegation is referred to the HUD Office of Inspector General, it could trigger a federal review. HUD OIG is responsible for complaints tied to HUD-funded programs and maintains both a hotline and an online portal for tips and whistleblower reports.
HABC says it will investigate the complaint and provide updates as appropriate. Hamlin says he intends to keep pressing oversight officials until he gets an outcome on his case.
Legal Note
If investigators substantiate that an inspector accepted money in exchange for a passing certificate, that conduct could result in administrative discipline and potentially criminal charges for bribery or related misconduct. Federal and local oversight offices have pursued enforcement in similar kinds of inspection cases in Maryland in recent years.
