Fifth District Councilwoman Rikki Spector has faced questions recently about her place of residence, which, for all practical purposes, is a 1,600-square-foot condominium unit overlooking the Inner Harbor, 11.6 miles by car from the Park Heights Avenue condo she bought years ago in her Northwest Baltimore district. The city requires that City Council members live in their districts, but in the past, state courts have ruled that as long as representatives have an address in their districts--even if they do not live there 100 percent of the time--they are not in violation of the law. Spector maintains that she can vote on matters related to Harborview Condominiums, even though she spends “a lot of time” there, because she has no financial interest in the swanky condo. But it looks as if she does have an interest. An agreement filed in Circuit Court land records, dated Feb. 20, gives Spector the right to live in a one-bedroom condominium at Harborview, Unit 1109, until she dies, at no charge (except for her phone bills). Currently she lives with Oscar Brilliant in Unit 2003, a two-bedroom condo assessed at $600,000. Brilliant (through a corporation peopled by his kids, Brilliant Associates) owns that and a one-bedroom unit on the 11th floor. If Oscar dies before Rikki does, “Rikki shall move into Unit No. 1109 within forty-five (45) days after the death of Oscar, or within 15 days of Unit No. 1109 being available for occupancy,” according to the agreement. “Brilliant [Associates] shall be responsible for payment of Rikki’s reasonable moving expenses to relocate to the one bedroom unit, and also be responsible for the cost of repairing and repainting the unit prior to Rikki’s relocation.” “The parties hereto agree that all of the furniture in Unit No. 2003 is the sole property of Rikki with the exception of the items which Oscar brought with him when he moved in as well as any of his personal belongings.” The agreement explicitly states that Spector has no ownership interest in the condos, but-- “Rikki shall have the right to exclusively use and occupy Unit No. 1109 until her death, remarriage, cohabitation with a non-related member of the opposite sex, cohabitation with a member of her family or in the event she does not occupy the premises for ninety (90) consecutive days. . . . During the term of Rikki’s use and occupancy of Unit No. 1109 Brilliant shall be solely responsible for payment of all reasonable expenses related to use of the unit. These expenses shall include but not be limited to condo fees, insurance, real estate taxes, gas and electric, cable television, water and sewer, any metropolitan charges, repairs and maintenance. Provided, however, that Rikki shall be solely responsible for the telephone bill at the residence.” So, Spector has an 1,100-square-foot, $360,000 waterside condo with a garage space to use for free for the rest of her life, all expenses paid. Taxes go up? Not for her. BGE raises electric rates? Rikki doesn’t pay. Comcast gouges city residents on their cable? How would Spector know—she never sees that bill! Stove breaks? Rikki gets a new one for free. For a 71-year-old woman, this deal is better than ownership, because she is insulated from all costs. Spector has long insisted she lives on Park Heights Avenue and visits her boyfriend in the condo. But consider the furniture clause. The way this is worded, it appears that Rikki furnished it and then Oscar came in with his stuff. Spector would not tell a reporter how long she had lived in Harborview, stating, as is her custom, that her home is on Park Heights Avenue and she has the right to a “private life.” She then quipped that her “next boyfriend will be in the 5th District.” But when asked if she would move back to her Park Heights Avenue place if Brilliant dies, Spector wouldn’t answer directly. “He’s going to live to 100,” she laughed. Asked specifically about the deal she made in February, Spector said, “I have a choice [to live in Harborview]. That’s an option I had. And wouldn’t you like to have that option? It’s a private part of my life that I have in the interest of pursuing my happiness.”

Email Edward Ericson Jr.