City honors Grama Acres; community development reports vacant-building progress and increased housing permits

The City Council recognized Grama Acres LLC with a community redevelopment award on March 26 and city staff provided a year-end update on community development work, highlighting downtown revitalization, a vacant-building revitalization program and increased permitting.

The city read a plaque presented to "Grama Acres" for its role in downtown redevelopment. Josh Padgett, the city’s building official, described Grama Acres’ projects including 212 East Wishcoff (a renovated downtown building with newly remodeled apartments) and other rehabilitations downtown. Julie Radjic accepted the award on behalf of Grama Acres LLC and said the team has worked on properties in Aberdeen and neighboring communities and is focused on improving a downtown block she described as "the scary block." Radjic said Grama Acres has been prioritizing renting to working professionals and that most units at the renovated property are leased.

City community development staff reported a series of initiatives and indicators they characterized as progress for 2024. Director Spada and building official Josh Padgett said the city issued a significant number of permits that translated into about 81 new residential units coming online last year, a marked increase after many years without new residential development. Staff described a vacant commercial building program and a Building Revitalization Project designed to bring licensed general contractors into rehabilitation opportunities; Padgett said two homes sold in three months through that program and he has a list of contractors participating.

Code compliance staff reported intensified efforts to clean encampments and address nuisance properties. The enforcement officer said the city has worked with property owners in problematic areas — for example on F Street — and staff reported fewer large encampment concentrations and more families and recreational use of park trails.

Property maintenance staff also said the department licensed more than 400 rentals and performed over 100 rental inspections in 2024. Staff cautioned that compliance work remains ongoing and that additional enforcement tools may be required to address owners who fail to register or maintain properties.

Why it matters: The recognition and staff reports indicate coordinated efforts to bring vacant and deteriorated properties back into productive use, expand housing supply, and address public-nuisance conditions that affect downtown revitalization and neighborhood quality of life.

What the council heard: Details about ongoing projects — new fire-escape installation at a downtown building, demolition plans for a derelict structure, and long-running work on a planned Thunderbird Hotel — and an update on code enforcement and collaborative efforts between building, property maintenance and public works staff to keep downtown clean and ready for investment.