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West North Avenue Development Authority outlines 15‑year revitalization plan and new loan program
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Summary
WinATA expects roughly $290M in construction expenditures to catalyze $473M of economic activity, plans to rehab ~100 vacant homes and deliver 750 multifamily units, and will ask its governing board to approve a loan program March 30 with disbursements aimed to begin April 1.
The West North Avenue Development Authority (WinATA) told the Transportation and the Environment Subcommittee that the agency’s multi-decade revitalization plan focuses on housing rehabilitation, transit improvement, neighborhood commerce and high minority‑business enterprise participation, and that WinATA will launch a loan program this spring to support local development.
DLS analyst Elizabeth Bridal said WinATA’s FY27 budget shows a decrease of about $2.7 million (12%), with earlier appropriations being reallocated to a new loan program and operational needs. The analysis documents a recurring issue: contract costs have repeatedly exceeded budgeted amounts, prompting DLS to recommend WinATA and the Department of Budget and Management program more realistic contract spending projections.
Executive Director Chad Williams described a 15‑year revitalization trajectory and cited an economic impact estimate prepared with the University of Baltimore: "a total aggregator of construction expenditures of $290,000,000 will support $473,000,000 of economic development activity for the state of Maryland," Williams said. He reported acquisition and rehab of roughly 70 vacant single‑family properties (16 completed, 54 under construction) and a pipeline to deliver about 750 multifamily units, and highlighted a successful food hall project generating weekend sales tax and high MBE participation (55.5% reported last fiscal year).
Williams said planning and development contracts—naming firms such as WSP, Quinn Evans, and Inspire Green Space—accounted for much of the contract spending (averaging $250,000–$350,000 annually) and that those costs should decline as WinATA issues RFPs and engages developers. He also said the agency will present its loan program to the governing board on March 30 and plans to begin disbursing loans April 1.
Legislators asked about the agency’s statutory sunset and self‑sufficiency requirement; Williams said the law requires the agency to be self‑sustaining by January 1, 2027, but anticipated legislative reevaluation after performance can be measured.
Next steps: DLS requested that WinATA and DBM coordinate to present more realistic contracting budgets and that the committee receive updates on the loan program and performance metrics.
