CHARM Launch

Press Release

Contact: Carol Kaplan

Media inquiries: charm.carolk@gmail.com

Grassroots Maryland Group Advocates for Common Community Homeowners

GAITHERSBURG, MD, December 16, 2024 – Homeowners in Maryland common ownership communities governed by homeowner (HOAs) and condo associations now have an organization dedicated to fighting for their rights.

CHARM Maryland, a civic organization recently established in Montgomery County, says current state law favors developers, boards of directors, and management companies, and do not protect the interests of homeowners who often invest their life savings into these communities. CHARM is an acronym for Common Community Homeowners Advocating for Reform.

“We’re trying to adjust the balance of power in Maryland, which is currently tilted towards companies that profit from homeowners or boards that purport to serve them,” said CHARM Maryland President Steven Lapham. “However, too often they end up abusing power and profiting from placing excessive, even fraudulent, penalties on their own members.

“We want to protect the civil rights, membership privileges, and financial security of individual homeowners. We aim to curb HOA-generated debts that too many homeowners are experiencing,” Lapham added.

Some of the problems that Maryland homeowners have experienced recently in common communities include:

• Violation of civil rights 

• Violation of property owner rights

• Denial of member services and privileges

• Gross financial mismanagement

• Lack of transparency

• Withholding of association documents and records

CHARM Maryland has established a board of directors and is gathering the support of homeowners across Maryland. The group’s efforts have reached several Maryland state legislators who are working on bills to be presented in the 2025 legislative session.

For more information or to join our email list, please visit our website at charm-md.org or contact us at: charm.md.contact at gmail dot com

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About CHARM Maryland:  Established in Montgomery County in December 2024, CHARM Maryland is a nonstock civic organization governed by a board of directors. Its mission is to advocate for fair and equitable state and local laws and their enforcement to end the predatory practices of homeowner and condo associations.