The Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT) has appointed Marie C. Smith as the new State Tax Sale Ombudsman.

Smith has served as the Director of Appraisals for the City of Baltimore since 2011. She leads a team of over 40 professionals and oversees the appraisal of more than 70,000 properties annually.

“Marie’s combination of exceptional knowledge of property tax assessments and her experience working with homeowners will be a great service to those homeowners who most need help staying in their homes,” said Dan Phillips, SDAT Director.

As the state’s tax sale ombudsman, Smith will lead SDAT’s efforts to provide critical information, resources and assistance to Maryland homeowners struggling to pay their property taxes. Her responsibilities include overseeing the Homeowner Protection Program, which provides loans and personal assistance to homeowners facing a tax foreclosure.

Smith will also conduct the annual tax sale survey, prepare the annual tax sale report for the Legislature, and work closely with SDAT’s Tax Credit Division and county partners to improve housing security, preserve homeownership, and create intergenerational wealth across the state.

Smith’s background includes her previous role as a lease acquisition specialist in the Real Estate Division of the Maryland Department of General Services, where she brought over 15 years of experience in public and private real estate in the Boston area.

Marie holds an MS in Real Estate from Johns Hopkins Carey Business School and a BS in Business Administration from the University of Massachusetts. She is also a certified real estate appraiser in Maryland and has completed numerous courses toward Appraisal Institute (MAI) certification.

For more information, visit the SDAT website.