Housing authority outlines multi-site redevelopment plans, credits and timelines

The Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis (HACA) told the city’s Housing, Human & Welfare Committee on Oct. 20 that it has advanced financing and planning for three major redevelopment projects and has seen measurable operational improvements after recent grant funding.

Director Maddox Evans said HACA was “recently awarded a 9% tax credit award from the state for a Robinwood neighborhood” and plans to apply for a companion 4% tax credit to pursue a “twinning” project that would add density. She said HACA’s immediate goal for Robinwood is to add “at least 50 or so new units, hopefully up to 70,” while noting the broader program-level target across sites is roughly 226 units. “We hope to close on both projects either by the end of next year or 2027,” Maddox Evans said, adding that construction and renovations would begin after financing is finalized and that an initial start window is anticipated around February 2027.

On Eastport Terrace and Harbor House, Maddox Evans said HACA had selected a development team led by Genesis with local design and building partners (the Winsett group and Hammel Builders) and will pursue Choice Neighborhoods funding. “We had our first resident meeting a couple weeks ago,” she said, and HACA is working to solidify financing for a simultaneous pipeline of projects.

Committee members pressed HACA on zoning, density and local hiring. Maddox Evans said current zoning allows an increase in density that can support planned unit totals and that recent city zoning action could add about 35 units at Robinwood. On workforce expectations she said developer proposals were evaluated for their ability to hire locally and that Davis‑Bacon requirements will apply to phases that carry federal funding. “Part of actually our solicitation when we select developers is evaluating their ability to hire locally,” Maddox Evans said.

The director also described operational gains tied to committee‑sponsored funding. HACA reported it obtained a $500,000 grant the committee helped secure and has used the funding for property repairs, staffing and contract oversight; Maddox Evans said about $307,000 has been expended so far and that HACA is finalizing invoices with the city to claim remaining eligible funds. She reported occupancy and licensing improvements: roughly 90% occupancy across HACA’s public housing portfolio, 100% licensing at Bloomsbury Square, Robinwood and Eastport Terrace, and about 96% licensing at Harbor House. HACA said it is about 94% complete on public-housing recertifications and has won more than 70 judgments in recent housing court actions to enforce lease compliance where appropriate.

Aldermen and commission members also asked about site environmental work for a possible Redevelopment site (referred to in the meeting as the Spiro/Spa Road site). Maddox Evans said HACA will await the results of a city- or resilience-authority‑led assessment before deciding whether remediation is viable. “We don’t know the extent and we don’t know the feasibility,” she said.

The committee commended staff and HACA for the progress and encouraged continued work on linking training, prevailing‑wage compliance and local hiring opportunities for residents. The committee heard no formal amendments or votes specific to HACA projects during the presentation; the update will inform future zoning and financing decisions before the council and planning departments.