Housing committee presses Penrose properties over staffing, mold and maintenance; moves to summon landlords

Sherry Hall, assistant property manager at Wilborn Estates, told the Housing and Human Welfare Committee that the complex has 78 apartments, five of them vacant, and that staff are addressing settling‑related cracks and appliance failures that may still be under warranty. Hall said the prior on‑site manager was let go Dec. 2 and that she has been acting in her role since late September, recently obtaining temporary support from an agency worker.

Hall said the property, managed by Penrose, has experienced supervisory turnover: the regional director left the prior Friday and the vice president of operations is based out of state, which Hall said has limited local oversight. She told the committee she is trying to locate appliance warranties so the company will not be billed for replacements that should be covered.

The committee asked about tenant accommodation when a household gains custody of a child. Hall said the office requires custody papers and that moves from a one‑ to a two‑bedroom unit depend on availability and the property’s income set‑aside tiers; she cited typical set‑aside levels (30, 50 or 60 percent) and said tenants must qualify for the new rent tier.

When asked about rent delinquency rates, Hall said she did not have the delinquency report at the meeting but that many tenants use an online payment portal and that most residents catch up by the end of the month; she offered to provide percentage figures by email.

During the public comment period, Coutura Cully, identifying herself as president of Oy Court Pinrose, told the committee that residents in Penrose‑managed properties have reported mold under sinks that maintenance did not fully address, ongoing trash pickup failures at Ober Court (Pleasant Street), and long delays in receiving promised stoves and dryers. “It’s unacceptable the way that the residents are living,” Cully said, describing an absence of a property manager on site and limited staffing at the rental office.

Following public testimony, a committee member moved that the Office of Law summon Annapolis Gardens Homes and the Glenn and Bywaters apartment complexes to appear at the Housing and Human Welfare Committee meeting on April 21, 2026; the motion was seconded. The transcript records the motion and second but does not record a roll‑call or final tally in the meeting record.

The committee asked Hall to provide follow‑up materials (including delinquency figures) and indicated it will pursue appearances by property representatives at the April 21 meeting to address management and maintenance concerns.