SILVER SPRING, Md. — Montgomery County Executive candidate Mithun Banerjee presents himself as a reformer determined to fix Montgomery County government. But an examination of his real-estate holdings — two long-neglected rental houses on Fernedge Road and Briggs Court in Silver Spring — suggests he has been unable to maintain even the most basic housing standards within his own properties.

The county has issued more than 40 citations across the two rental homes since 2021. Banerjee insists the county is wrong on all counts, but his explanations shift from storm damage to tenant sabotage to county corruption, rarely aligning with county code, tenant-landlord law, or the factual record.

Banerjee confirmed in interviews that both properties are, and have long been, rented to tenants. He also confirmed that he actively collects rent from these properties. Despite this and owning a third property he claims as principal residence, he says both rental units are “owner-occupied,” a categorization that would — if it were true — exempt them from needing a rental license. Maryland law does not recognize “owner-occupied” status simply because the owner stores items in the house, keeps an office there, or has family members residing alongside tenants, as Banerjee insists. If a home has paying tenants, it is a rental property.

Banerjee says Montgomery County violated his rights by failing to issue warnings or Notices of Violations before imposing the citations. Montgomery County Housing Code is explicit: a rental license is required, and unlicensed rental units receiving tenant complaints are commonly cited immediately rather than warned. In other words, the county acted exactly as the law requires and the public expects.

And it acted for good reason: the citations document severe deterioration inside and outside both houses. The conditions, as documented in the county’s photographic evidence attached to the citations, show barely livable properties that fail to meet the most basic human needs, including plumbing, electricity, HVAC and fire safety. Banerjee, however, has a story for every issue — stories that raise more questions than they answer.

Explaining Away the Damage: Storms, Tenants, and Everyone Else

The 2012 Derecho Excuse

Banerjee told The Montgonion that Montgomery County should not have cited him in the first place because much of the deficiencies stem from roof damage caused by the June 2012 derecho storm — nearly a decade before the inspections.

He stated he filed an insurance claim with Allstate, which was denied, and that he is suing Allstate now. The case, he explained, cannot proceed until the automatic stay is lifted in his ongoing bankruptcy case (22-15183), which is held in place under Maryland Rule 2-507. Online court records confirm this.

This explanation does not address why basic repairs were not made between 2012 and 2021 — or why properties with paying tenants were allowed to deteriorate to the point of mold, water infiltration, infestations, and structural defects. Nor why, from the exterior at least, it appears few of the deficiencies have been corrected as of this day.

Observations from public spaces conducted in November 2025 show many of the exterior home deficiencies cited by the county remain unabated. In the cover images at the top of this article, wear requiring repair to the exterior trim shows on 2012 Google Map images of the Briggs Road property. By 2019 the trim was rotting away and it was even worse when county inspectors came in 2021. Presently the trim appears to be completely decayed and pulling away from the house.

Blaming the Tenants

Banerjee also claimed the tenants themselves caused much of the damage “in retaliation” during the COVID-19 public health emergency. He asserted that tenants stopped paying rent, demanded more services, and vandalized the home.

There is no documentation to support these allegations. Banerjee has not won any large judgments against tenants for property destruction. In fact, at least one tenant won a judgment against him: Banerjee was ordered to return a security deposit plus damages after he illegally withheld it.

These facts undermine the narrative of tenant-driven destruction and raise questions about the condition of the properties before tenants ever moved in. Google Map photos of his properties dating back to 2012 showing deterioration that still exists today, albeit far worse, destroy any remaining shred of credibility.

Combative Exchanges with County Officials

Banerjee’s dealings with Montgomery County’s enforcement officials have been marked by escalating hostility. His correspondence with county attorneys includes allegations of discrimination, corruption, “judge-shopping,” and even claims he was treated “similar as a slave.” The county strongly rejected these accusations.

In a July 30, 2024 response to one of Banerjee’s emails, Montgomery County Chief of Litigation, Patty Kane, wrote:

“With respect to your accusations against [Assistant County Attorney] Ms. Ferner, they are unsubstantiated, malicious, and defamatory. Upon investigation of your complaint, I have verified that she was simply doing her job as the Code Enforcement Attorney in prosecuting citations issued against you by inspectors from DHCA, supported by photographs, for your documented violations of the housing code law.

That said, you made allegations against her which you have no facts to support, and therefore know to be false. You accuse her of ‘judge-shopping,’ ‘discrimination,’ and treating you ‘without respect’ and ‘similar as a slave.’ Not surprisingly, you offer no facts to support these serious allegations.

You have sent your malicious allegations about Ms. Ferner to me as her supervisor and asked me to place your allegations in her personnel file for an indefinite time. You have published these malicious and meritless allegations against Ms. Ferner to the County Executive and other County employees with intent to harm Ms. Ferner’s professional reputation amongst her colleagues and the Court.

It is imperative that you cease and desist these unsubstantiated and malicious accusations against Ms. Ferner immediately.”

This is not the language of a county unsure of its case. It is the language of officials dealing with an accuser whose claims do not match the evidence, and who are fed up with his distractions, false narratives, and wild accusations.

Citation-by-Citation Review of His Two Rental Properties

Below is a summary of the violations issued across Banerjee’s Fernedge Road and Briggs Court rental properties.

Fernedge Road

Interior Violations (2021)

Missing or nonfunctional door locks
Broken bathroom walls / ceiling
Dishwasher in unsanitary, nonworking condition
Basement walls and ceiling: water infiltration and mold
Washer/dryer not functioning

Oven/stove/microwave not functioning
Failing bedroom walls / ceiling
Kitchen sink in unsanitary / inoperable condition
Faulty basement and bedroom light fixtures
Unsafe electrical service panel and wiring
Rodent infestation

Missing bathroom toilet seat
Illegal basement bedroom with no required egress

Exterior Violations (2021)

Neglected trees and shrubbery
Deteriorated exterior trim

Exterior Violations (2022)

Accumulation of garbage/rubbish

Briggs Court

Interior Violations (2021)

Bathroom walls/ceiling deteriorated
Broken and missing bathroom floor tiles

Basement walls/ceiling deteriorated
Living room walls/ceiling in disrepair

Kitchen walls/ceiling degraded
Defective kitchen cabinetry
Non-working refrigerator/freezer
Non-working oven/stove
Rodent infestation throughout structure

Missing carbon monoxide detectors

Exterior Violations (2021)

Rotting or missing gutter boards
Unsafe retaining wall
Chimney with missing bricks and mortar

Sliding door not functioning
Gutter system in disrepair
Extensive flaking/peeling paint, water seepage, decay
Rotting trim
Wasp/hornet infestation
Accumulated garbage/rubbish
Overgrown vegetation blocking paths and encroaching on windows and walls

HVAC Violations (2021)

HVAC system not providing required heating/cooling

These are far away from cosmetic blemishes. They are major failures in basic landlord obligations, affecting safety, sanitation, and fire code compliance. The evidence shows homes barely fit for habitation.

The Bigger Picture: What These Homes Reveal About the Candidate

Banerjee wants to lead a county of 1.1 million people. But his real-estate record shows:

Years of disrepair
Tenants living in deplorable, unsafe conditions
Dozens of ignored or unresolved violations
A pattern of combative communication with authorities
Claims unsupported by evidence
A history of legal threats and accusations whenever challenged

A County Executive is expected to administer housing policy — not routinely violate it. As he campaigns for the highest office in Montgomery County, voters ask the question: If he cannot manage two small rental homes, how could he possibly manage the county?

What’s Next for Banerjee

With multiple citation cases still open, ongoing bankruptcy litigation, and his Allstate lawsuit and dozens of other cases frozen behind the bankruptcy stay, Banerjee’s legal landscape is as unsettled as the properties he rents out. County records indicate that no rental licenses have been issued for the two houses in question, meaning the county could lawfully continue enforcement actions, impose additional fines, and—if conditions remain unsafe—pursue escalated remedies available under Montgomery County Housing Code.

Banerjee insists everything will soon be vindicated in federal court once his bankruptcy appeal is resolved, although he acknowledged in interviews that he expects the appeal to fail and that he will “immediately refile” bankruptcy afterward. As a result, ongoing litigation related to the properties may remain in procedural limbo for the foreseeable future.

Meanwhile, his campaign for County Executive continues. As of now, Banerjee has not been certified to receive public campaign financing. He must eventually undergo a full review by the Montgomery County Board of Elections, which evaluates whether a candidate has met all requirements, including the accuracy and completeness of the county ethics financial disclosure he submitted in May.

For a candidate running on accountability and reform, the unresolved violations, tenant disputes, legal entanglements, and condition of his rental properties present substantial hurdles—political, financial, and practical. The public will ultimately decide whether these issues speak to his vision for the county and his capacity to manage the responsibilities he is seeking.

# # #

Publisher’s Note

Following publication of our article analyzing candidate Mithun Banerjee’s county executive financial disclosure statement, Mr. Banerjee embarked on a campaign of harassment, threats, and false allegations directed not only at The Montgonion and its publisher but at readers, local officials, and fellow media outlets who engaged with or reposted the article.

Mr. Banerjee sent multiple emails filled with knowingly false claims, baseless accusations of racism and corruption, and threats of lawsuits. He contacted a publisher who reposted our work and implied legal consequences if the repost remained online. He contacted individuals who merely “liked” the article on social media, demanding retractions and attempting to intimidate them. He even attempted to pressure a sitting Rockville City Councilmember for liking the piece.

This behavior is consistent with a pattern documented in his communications with county attorneys and inspectors, as well as elected officials, where he has repeatedly made unfounded allegations of misconduct whenever official findings do not align with his views.

The Montgonion will not be deterred by threats, harassment, or attempted intimidation—whether from a political candidate or anyone else. We stand by our reporting, by the facts as documented in public records, and by the principle that journalists and the public have the right to examine the backgrounds and qualifications of those seeking high office.

We will continue to cover this story and others with the same rigor, independence, and commitment to public interest that our readers expect.