Rising real estate prices have crippled Arundel Habitat for Humanity, forcing it to look outside Anne Arundel County for opportunities to help needy families find a permanent home.
“We seem to have plenty of land for the wealthy to build McMansions on, but when it comes to moderate-income or low-income families, it seems there isn?t anything available,” said Melanie Smith, president of the board of directors for Arundel Habitat.
The last properties purchased by Arundel Habitat cost an estimated $30,000 compared to about $20,000 only a year or so ago, according to Maribeth Stewart, fundraising director for Arundel Habitat. The nonprofit homebuilding group has constructed or refurbished 72 homes in Anne Arundel County since it began in 1987. Habitat currently has eight homes under some form of construction and is bidding on contracts for two vacant lots and three other properties, most in Baltimore City.
Earlier this month, Habitat representatives asked the County Council for help to prevent the group from ceasing its work in the county.
“What we?re trying to do is get the council?s attention about the affordable housing issue,” Smith said. “On occasion, we?ve been very blessed to find property owners willing to donate. Beyond that, we?ve just got to take a hard look at just what are we willing to pay.”
Smith said Arundel Habitat would like to see some of the old Crownsville Hospital Center property turned into available land for Habitat homes.
The sprawling campus is currently state-owned and is home to a handful of nonprofit organizations. Anne Arundel County Executive Janet Owens reached an agreement with Gov. Robert Ehrlich earlier this spring to prevent the property from being auctioned off, but no plans have been announced for the property?s future.
County Council Chairman Ed Reilly said the county could also consider waiving permit and impact fees for Habitat, but said that decision will have to come from the county executive.
“Crownsville is still in motion,” Reilly said. “If the county takes it over, the executive is going to have to decide whether to parcel it out or control the whole thing or enter into some public-private partnership to develop it. But Habitat is on the list if we decide to control the whole thing.”
Most of Habitat?s recent projects have been completed in the Brooklyn and Curtis Bay areas of southern Baltimore City. The most recent home project on Elizabeth Street in Baltimore cost Habitat close to $85,000 just for the land, permits and impact fees, Stewart said.
Stewart said Arundel Habitat is also negotiating with the City of Annapolis for some surplus city property on Clay Street where Habitat has already built or renovated more than a dozen homes.
