A 4.4-acre site at 9113 and 9137 Baltimore Avenue in College Park has long been home to the Days Inn, Howard Johnson, and Red Roof Inn hotels. However, the three hotels were recently sold to RST Development, who is planning to build a five-story, 317-unit affordable housing project.

The property sits about a mile north of the University of Maryland campus entrance on Baltimore Avenue, also known as Route 1, and approximately two miles from the College Park Metro Station.

“Our efforts to preserve and create quality affordable housing come to fruition only through strong partnerships between the public and private sector,” said Aspasia Xypolia, Director of the Prince George’s County Department of Housing and Community Development. “This development will bring much needed affordable housing to the County, centered in a community where residents can enjoy easy access to jobs and amenities.”

This is the second new multi-family affordable housing development being constructed in College Park. The first one, Atworth at College Park Metro, broke ground last year and is expected to be completed next year.

Each apartment will contain an in-unit washer/dryer, dishwasher, microwave, and high-speed internet access. The common areas will include a community room, a bike storage area, a pool with men's and women's locker rooms, an outdoor gathering area and grills for resident use, a fully equipped fitness center, a walking path, a dog park, 750 square feet of green spaces, and a passive sitting area on the roof.

“The property was appealing for affordable housing because of the lack of options for low-income residents in College Park and the high demand from staff at the University of Maryland and the surrounding businesses,” said Adam Stein, co-founder of Bridge Water Real Estate Brokerage.

Demolition has started on all three hotels and the development is scheduled to be complete in April 2025.

Photo credit:  RST Development

The Rent Stabilization Workgroup convened its first meeting on Monday, August 14th. It was livestreamed on Prince George’s County Council Member Krystal Oriadha’s YouTube Channel from 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM. If you missed it, you can watch it here.

The Rent Stabilization Workgroup was formed to develop recommendations that will help to create the permanent rent stabilization bill in Prince George’s County. The Workgroup will meet monthly to discuss a wide range of topics.

For more information about the Rent Stabilization Workgroup, visit the Prince George’s County Council’s website.

Are you a first-time homeowner?  Perhaps you’ve owned your home for only three or four years, or maybe you’ve owned your home for 30 years.  More than likely, one of the largest investments of your lifetime is owning a home.  However, do you know the importance of home maintenance to keep your investment growing in value and equity?

Housing Investment Partnership (HIP) and Habitat for Humanity-Metro Maryland (HH-MM) have teamed up to provide County residents with free home maintenance webinar workshops called “Home Maintenance 101.”  It is designed to give participants a quick course on the best way to maintain their investment.  The workshops are scheduled for Wednesday, September 6^th and Wednesday, November 8^th, from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM and will be held virtually. These workshops will be led by licensed home inspectors and designed to give homeowners a quick course in defining home maintenance, annual and seasonal maintenance, as well as internal and external maintenance.

“Your home is one of your greatest assets,” said Dorothea Parker, Housing Developer for HIP.  “These workshops are designed to give homeowners the foundational tools and ideas on how to preserve their investment.”   

The hour-long workshop is open to the public and is mandatory for any homeowner participating in one of the County’s housing rehabilitation assistance programs.  Participants will have an opportunity to ask questions and will receive a Certificate of Completion at the end of the workshop.  Participants will also receive a seasonal checklist, a list of internal and external home maintenance tasks, and energy-saving tips.

“Habitat is excited to partner with HIP to provide the Home Maintenance 101 Workshop,” said Chyna Diaz, Home Preservation Program Manager for Habitat for Humanity-Metro Maryland.  “Engaging in the home maintenance workshop is an investment in the longevity of the home that only requires an hour of time.  The goal is to aid homeowners in their commitment to preserving their investment in their home.   The information in the workshop may help the homeowner learn what to look out for and save on maintenance costs in the long run.”

To register for the Home Maintenance 101 workshop, visit the Housing Initiative Partnership Home Maintenance Workshop 101 flyer.

Sheila Roberts  

Title:  Entitlement Fund Accountant IV

Years: 13 years

Quote: The following quotes best summarize how I approach my work:

"Change is inevitable. Change will always happen, but you have to apply direction to change, and that's when it's progress." — Doug Baldwin

"Success isn't always about greatness. It's about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come." — Dwayne Johnson