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Harford County hears request to extend PILOT for Saint John's Commons senior housing
Summary
County Treasurer Robbie Sandless and Saint John's Commons' executive director asked the council to extend a 15-year PILOT for the 40-unit senior affordable complex; county staff said the proposed agreement would raise the PILOT 3% annually and the property's annual tax differential is about $15,000.
Harford County officials on Feb. 24 presented a request to extend a payment-in-lieu-of-taxes (PILOT) agreement for Saint John's Commons, a 40-unit affordable housing complex for residents 62 and older.
Robbie Sandless, Harford County treasurer, said the county administers about 15 PILOT agreements—14 of which support affordable housing—and that the aggregate annual tax difference between assessed property tax and PILOT payments is roughly $170,000. He told the council the differential for Saint John's Commons is about $15,000 and that the proposed extension would increase the PILOT payment by 3% annually over 15 years, matching terms used in earlier renewals.
Sandless described the program as a tool to give nonprofits and affordable-housing operators predictable annual payments so they can keep rents low and budget for repairs. He said entities must qualify through the Maryland State Department of Assessments and Taxation before the county can approve a PILOT and offered to provide the council a complete list of current PILOT agreements and the county’s annual reporting on lost tax abatement.
Sherry Snyder, executive director of Saint John's Commons, told the council the building serves residents on fixed incomes, is more than a decade old, and needs predictable revenues to cover rising taxes, insurance and utility costs so it can budget for long-term repairs. "This is where the pilot can make a difference," she said, adding that predictable income helps keep the building safe and affordable.
Council members asked procedural questions about how organizations apply for PILOTs, whether the list includes nonprofits only, and when the county last approved a new PILOT (Sandless said it has been about a decade since a new one was added). Sandless noted the county tracks PILOTs in its comprehensive financial report and agreed to share the file and district-by-district site information with council members.
The council closed the public hearing; the president said the item will be taken up at the next meeting for formal action.
