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Caroline County considers repairs and reserve use as Dayspring Apartments faces vacancies and evictions
Summary
County Administrator Kathleen Freeman told the Board on Feb. 4 that roughly half of Dayspring Apartments’ units were either vacant or involved in eviction proceedings and that several evicted units had been substantially damaged.
County Administrator Kathleen Freeman told the Board on Feb. 4 that Caroline County met with East Coast Property Management about the condition and financial status of Dayspring Apartments. County staff reported that roughly half of the units were either vacant or in eviction processes and that several units that were subject to evictions had sustained major interior damage, including removed cabinets and holes in walls.
East Coast provided a proposed scope to rehab five severely damaged units (four in DaySpring 1 and one in DaySpring 2) and to perform minor repairs or appliance replacements in inhabited units. The proposed cost for the five major rehabs was about $125,000, Freeman said, and the presenter said funds were available in the property's maintenance/reserve account to pay for the work.
Commissioners debated whether to spend from the reserve now or wait until a planned meeting with the state housing secretary (referred to as Secretary Day in meeting notes) to determine the future ownership and whether the reserve funds could be applied toward loan repayment if the property were sold. One commissioner asked staff to delay major renovations until after the meeting with the state representative; several commissioners agreed that basic safety items — smoke detectors, heat/air maintained, minor drywall repair — could be addressed now, but they discouraged spending on complete kitchen replacements until ownership and disposition were clarified.
Administrators said they would seek a clarified assessment of current unit rents, vacancy and eviction counts and would report back after the meeting with the state. The board also discussed that, under the property’s subsidy agreements, reserve funds typically stay with the property and cannot be retained by seller/transferor without conditions.
Ending: Staff to meet with the state housing secretary and then return with a recommendation about using reserves for repairs or applying them toward loan repayment; limited safety repairs were authorized to ensure units remain secure and climate controlled.
