I know this is way off topic, but I can't believe that I have to go through this.
It seems ever since I bought my house in Laurel, Maryland almost two years ago (August, 2000) that my neighbors have been on the warpath to get me kicked out of my house. At the time I was 20 years old and took the biggest step I have ever taken in my life and bought a single family home. This was a gigantic step in my accomplishing my goals in life and am very proud that I had accomplished it at such a young age. I am now 22 and my immediate neighbors consist mainly of older retired citizens.
The house I bought has 4 bedrooms and 3 full bathrooms. To help pay for the house and utilities I rent out the spare rooms that I am not using to friends and family if needed. According to Laurel law though this is considered illegal. The law states that at most that no more than 3 unrelated people, whether it be by blood relation or marriage, be allowed to live in a single family home. My fiancé and I only take up one room in the house, leaving 3 bedrooms in the house completely unused. I know of other towns that in having a 3 bedroom house you are allowed to have up to 6 people living in that house. But according to laurel, any more than 3 unrelated people in my 4 bedrooms house is entirely too many. Renting out these rooms has caused me to have Laurel City Hall, including the Mayor, on my back.
Since I have moved in I have done my best to cooperate with Laurel officials in following the local laws and ordinances. I have done my best to improve my house and property and will continue to do so that not only will the value of my house rise but it will help the value of the neighbors houses rise in value as well. But I believe that since I am young I have been unfairly scrutinized by the neighbors and the town of Laurel. Since it will be hard for me to afford the house without renting out the rooms in my house I will be indirectly forced to give up all that I have worked for because people see me as young. But because I am young, I think I am unfairly thought of as immature and nothing but trouble to the neighborhood and town.
Tomorrow at 9am I will be meeting with Laurel City Hall. I have been told that once the meeting is over I have only two weeks to resolve anything the city considers that I have done wrong. That means that I will only be able to give the people in my house 2 weeks notice to find another place to live and save enough money for a deposit and first months rent in the new residence that they may find. I feel that the taxes I pay and the taxes others pay in Laurel and in Maryland are better spent than in trying to make me give up everything I have worked very hard to accomplish in my life.
Robert Anthony Knauber
1027 Montrose Avenue
Laurel, MD 20707
Home : 301 483 9564
Work : 202 944 2520
Mobile: 301 404 0326
How long has your fiance been living with you? Look into the amount of time it takes before she qualifies as a common-law spouse...seriously, that might be one legal loophole. The other one would be to adopt your renters, but that might be iffy. 