SanMar outlines Enough Act-funded South End plan, partners with Gehl and aims to help 150 families buy homes

SanMar President and Chief Executive Officer Keith Banjoy told the Hagerstown City Council that a multi‑year, track‑3 Enough Act grant is funding expanded services and a resident‑driven neighborhood revitalization effort in the city’s South End.

The grant, awarded through the governor’s Office of the Maryland Governor’s Office for Children as part of the Enough Act initiative, allowed SanMar to hire about 16 staff across partner agencies and begin delivering services this summer, Banjoy said. He said the effort is intended to move families “away from just survival” toward long‑term stability and that the organization hopes the city will partner on aspects of the plan.

Banjoy described a two‑track approach: continuing short‑term concrete supports (substance‑use services, grief counseling and other free services for South End residents) while investing in “catalyst projects” to change the neighborhood’s built environment and amenities. “We wanna move our services away from just survival. We wanna move to thriving,” Banjoy said.

SanMar announced a 10‑month contract with Gehl (styled G E H L), an international community development and urban design firm, to produce a resident‑driven plan for catalyst projects in the South End. Banjoy said Gehl will first identify relatively low‑cost “low‑hanging fruit” such as tree planting, painting and improved trash containers and will later recommend larger capital projects. He said SanMar is not asking the city for financial commitments now but hopes to coordinate early on so the city can sustain and maintain any installations.

As part of the housing component, SanMar plans to fund a full‑time staff position (through Enough Act resources) focused on helping about 150 South End households move from renting to owning over the next three-plus years. Banjoy said the position could be staffed by SanMar or potentially by a city employee funded by Enough Act dollars, but the details would be worked out with city staff.

Council members asked for clarifications about the geographic catchment and school links. Banjoy said the catchment broadly captures the Bester Elementary attendance area and some adjacent addresses; he added that two school‑based services—grief and loss services from hospice and substance‑abuse counseling from Potomac Community Services—are available at South High and Russell Hicks during the school day regardless of a student’s address because they were arranged through memoranda of understanding with the schools.

Banjoy also announced a community block party next weekend at City Park, drawing an estimated 15,000–20,000 attendees, to showcase community resources and outreach efforts funded under the grant.

Why it matters: The Enough Act funding and the Gehl planning contract aim to combine direct services and longer‑term neighborhood design to reduce concentrated childhood poverty and stabilize the South End. Council members pressed for assurances that the effort would prioritize existing residents and avoid displacement; Banjoy repeatedly framed the goal as serving current residents and “positioning them for success.”

Officials and staff said they will return to council as specific projects and potential city roles (including any requests for maintenance or capital commitments) are developed.

Ending: Banjoy invited council members to upcoming events and said SanMar will continue to brief the council as contracts and recommendations from Gehl are developed.