Annapolis Committee Meeting on Housing Updates and Property Concerns - March 17, 2026
Annapolis Committee Meeting on Housing Updates and Property Concerns - March 17, 2026
During this meeting, the committee received updates from a property representative of Wilburne Estates (formerly Newtown 20) regarding occupancy, maintenance, and management challenges. Public testimony raised concerns about maintenance delays and communication at another Penrose property, Obery Court. The committee voted to summon three apartment complexes to the next meeting.
Consent Calendar
- The agenda was approved by voice vote.
- The minutes of the January 20th meeting were approved without amendment.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Justine (last name not provided), president of the OverAcor Penrose resident association, reported that residents of Obery Court are experiencing mold in their units, trash not being picked up even on pickup days, and long delays for appliance replacements. She stated that a resident had been waiting over a year for a stove and dryer until a new manager recently helped. She urged company owners to inspect properties directly.
Discussion Items
- Wilburne Estates (801 Newtown Drive) Update: Sherry Hall, assistant property manager, reported that the 78-unit property has five vacant units, with people on a waitlist. Maintenance issues include cracks from settling and appliances failing within four years. Ms. Hall noted that she has been acting as property manager since the previous manager was let go on December 2, 2025, and she does not want to remain in that role. She expressed concern that the parent company, Penrose (a for-profit, Pennsylvania-based company), has been slow to provide support. The regional manager left suddenly on March 13, 2026. The property has weekend security and only one market-rate unit. An alderman asked about the process for a one-bedroom resident gaining custody of a grandchild; Ms. Hall explained that custody papers are required and transfer to a two-bedroom is possible but rare due to few vacancies. Acting City Manager Vicky Buckland asked about management practices; Hall said she has never had such difficulty getting help at other properties. Hall did not have the delinquency rate immediately available but offered to provide it later.
Key Outcomes
- The committee voted unanimously (by voice vote) to direct the Office of Law to summon representatives of Annapolis Gardens, the Homes at the Glen, and Bywaters apartment complexes to the next Housing and Human Welfare Committee meeting on April 21, 2026.
- The meeting was adjourned.
Meeting Transcript
Committee on Tuesday 17 at 511 to order. At this time I will have a roll call. Alderman Smith Brown. Present. Alderman Cohen T I'm present. Make sure you say Older Woman O'Neal is not here. Do I have to think? Next one. Next on the agenda is the approval of their agenda. Can I have a motion? Yes, I move to approve of the agenda. All in favor. I next on the agenda is. Do I have to do the reasons? Yes. Um business and miscellaneous approval of a minutes. Do I have a motion to approve of regard? Yes, I move to approve of the amendments. The minutes of January 20th meeting. Thank you. Okay. All in favor? Next on the agenda is the general discussion section. Um first up is ID 526. I see no motion. Um next on the agenda would be I 2126 Wilburne Estates Pembrose. Yep. Hi, Ms. Hall. Hello. Push the save anything. Push. Okay. Sherry Hall, Wilburne States with Ben Rose. Hi, thanks for coming. Um I just wanted to have you come and give us an update on the property. Um I know you said that you weren't here, but I just want you to give like an update on the property for us. Oh, okay. Uh like we have 78 apartments, five are vacant. We have people uh on a wait list that are gonna be moved in. Um not really having any issues. We don't have a property manager. I'm uh assistant property manager and I have a temporary person helping me. Or she's not temporary person, she's a real person, but she's helping me temporarily. Um the biggest thing I think we're seeing is uh we're I think because the property is so new and it's starting to settle, we're finding some cracks around the baseboards and that kind of stuff that we we've called vendors in to take care of that stuff. Um we have a few appliances that are failing even only after four years. Um and so I as the assistant property manager is trying I'm trying to find out where those uh warranties are because we shouldn't have to be paying for things if they're still under warranty. Um but not really a whole lot of um issue uh really we we we have a resident who does call Hacker quite a bit, but we're dealing with that in our way. Um I I don't know what else to say other than I'm I'm happy to have been able to be here. I wish I knew more so I could give you more information.
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