Property manager and Fairstead officials promise investigation after residents report approved moves denied at Woodside Gardens

Annapolis — Representatives of Fairstead Management told the Housing and Human Welfare Committee they will investigate multiple tenant applications at Woodside Gardens that residents say were approved but later rescinded after a change in property management.

Todd Bowling, vice president of operations for Fairstead Management, said the company's intent is that approved applicants be moved into units; if names and application details are provided, Fairstead will investigate what sequence of events led to any rescinded approvals. Bowling said staffing changes occurred at the property but that an approved application normally would not be negated solely because of a change in on-site management.

Kenneth Hart, senior regional manager, and Shanae Whitfield, the on-site community senior manager, told the committee the property currently has four vacant units (around a 3% vacancy rate) and that wait lists can be as long as two years. Management said it typically assigns available apartments when move-ins are scheduled; when no suitable on-site unit is available they would place affected residents in hotels temporarily while remediation or transfer arrangements are made. Hart said options sometimes include transfers to other properties in the portfolio, but those properties have their own wait lists.

Committee members pressed for clearer communication with residents and asked the company to publish or distribute a formal introduction and office hours for the new community manager. Fairstead said it will send notice to the community announcing Shanae Whitfield as the community manager and providing office hours. Committee members thanked the company for its responsiveness and said staff will follow up offline on the specific cases.

No formal committee action was taken; staff and the company agreed to follow up and resolve individual tenant matters.