Crews are clearing 2.5 acres in Towson that has been at the center of a years-long pitched battle over a proposed affordable housing project.
The developer of Red Maple Place, Homes for America, did not return a request for comment.
State Sen. Mary Washington, who represents Towson and opposes the project, said the property offered a wooded, cooling space in an area that has been heavily developed.
Washington said the land has now been stripped and “it didn’t look as though it was done carefully.”
Red Maple Place is a planned 56-unit, four-story apartment building. Its proposed location adjoins East Towson, an historic Black community. Residents there have objected to the project, saying over the years their neighborhood has been chipped away.
County Executive Kathy Klausmeier supports the project, as did her predecessor, Johnny Olszewski. County officials say the project will help them comply with a 2016 Voluntary Compliance Agreement with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to settle complaints that the county had violated the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Under the agreement, Baltimore County is required to create 1,000 affordable housing units by March of 2028.
A report released in December found that the county needs nearly 19,000 affordable housing units to meet the demand.
Last July, the Baltimore County Council declined to give the project’s developer a $2 million loan. Council members at the time criticized Red Maple, saying it was too expensive and is too big for the property.
Red Maple Place has survived a series of legal challenges.
Sen. Washington wants the county to make sure that going forward, the developer follows the rules.
“Every step of the way, there have been variances, storm water variances, grading variances, water pollution impact variances,” Washington said.
She added, “If you follow the laws, if you do the studies, you will see that you cannot build that type of building of that size,” Washington said.
In a Jan. 16 letter sent to neighbors, Dana Johnson, the president and CEO of Homes for America, said the project will take about 18 months to complete.
“Once complete, we look forward to providing quality affordable housing and serving the Towson community for years to come,” Johnson wrote.
This story may be updated.
