As reported by the Baltimore Sun, Baltimore City, as a part of Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake “billing integrity program,” is auditing homestead credits of Baltimore City homeowners to determine whether these credits have been properly granted.  So far, city officials have identified 2,157 credits totally $1.3 million that have been improperly granted.

Finance officials said Thursday that they plan to continue auditing the homestead program and expect to find other examples of ineligibility.

“There’s numerous ways … in which people can commit fraud on homesteads,” said William Voorhees, director of revenue and tax analysis for the city finance agency. “We’re going to be looking at a lot of things.”

City plans to expand efforts to other tax credit programs.

Voorhees said the city also plans to analyze all the other tax credits received by property owners to ferret out misuse. The finance agency found about $1 million in “brownfield” redevelopment credits with problems but is seeking more information before acting to strip them, he said.