Annapolis Housing Residents and Lawmakers Clash Over Delays

Residents of Annapolis public housing and local lawmakers clashed with housing authority leadership this past Monday, marking a dispute over deteriorating living conditions and redevelopment delays.

As Melissa Maddox-Evans, executive director of the Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis, presented a quarterly update to the City Council, the disconnect between administrative planning and the daily reality of tenants became starkly apparent.

The frustration in the room was palpable, culminating when one resident was escorted out of the meeting after demanding an apology for the environment she and her neighbors endure. “I’m going to say what I have to say because I want an apology, as a resident, for having to live in mold,” she declared. “The residents need an apology that y’all have us living in ruins.”

The controversy centers on Eastport Terrace and Harbour House, two communities where residents have reported persistent issues since May. According to reporting from the Capital Gazette, tenants have described a cycle of mold, ceiling leaks, and pest infestations that remain unresolved even when families are relocated to different units within the same developments. The authority is working to redevelop both communities.

However, the timeline for these improvements remains a point of contention. During the council meeting, Maddox-Evans stated that the redevelopment of Eastport Terrace and Harbour House could begin in the second half of 2028. This has left local representatives questioning the transparency and efficacy of the current management strategy.

Alderwoman Diesha Contee, whose ward includes most of the city’s public housing, expressed concern regarding the lack of a collaborative approach between the housing authority and the council. “When we see that things are not heading in a good direction, or we don’t feel like it’s even a collaborative type of effort, it frustrates us,” Contee said.

This sentiment was echoed by Alderman Keanuu Smith-Brown, who challenged the authority’s communication practices after questioning why certain information had been given to the mayor but not the council.

Smith-Brown also pressed for details regarding an unsuccessful bid for a Choice Neighborhoods Implementation grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Although Maddox-Evans acknowledged that the funding could have provided as much as $26 million toward further redevelopment efforts, she maintained that the failure to secure the grant would have no impact on the redevelopment plans for Eastport Terrace, Harbour House, Robinwood, and Bloomsbury Square.

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Apart from the condition of the infrastructure, tenants are waiting for disbursements from a $15 million settlement the city entered into following two federal lawsuits regarding alleged discrimination against public housing residents. Mayor Jared Littmann indicated on Monday that he had no update on when residents would receive settlement payments, noting that the timeline has slipped past the city’s initial expectation of a December resolution.

“Our initial expectation was that it was going to be wrapped up by December, and it’s certainly not going to happen in December. It’s going to go into the new year, and how much further into the new year I don’t know, and it’s beyond my control,” Littmann said.

For the families living in these units, the wait represents a continuation of a housing situation that has faced scrutiny. As the city moves into the new year, the tension between the residents’ immediate need for safe, habitable environments and the multi-year redevelopment schedule suggests that the friction within the City Council will likely continue.