OPENPUBLICA · PUBLIC MEETING RECORD
Record of Proceedings

Annapolis City Council Work Session on Public Housing Programs – September 9, 2026

City Council — Wednesday, September 9, 2026
BodyAnnapolis, Maryland
SessionCity Council
DateWednesday, September 9, 2026
StatusNEW · FILED
Video Record
0:00 / 1:34:37

Transcript — Verbatim
0:00

Would everyone willing and able please stand for the pledge of allegiance.

0:04

I have a flag behind me by my shoulder.

0:07

I pledge allegiance me to the flag.

0:12

And to the republic publication undergoing civil municipality.

0:22

Thank you.

0:25

City Attorney Cooper Smith, would you please present the first item on the agenda?

0:30

Yes, the first item on the agenda is ID 1682.

0:36

Thank you.

0:37

We have, I don't see her on the screen yet, but I'm assuming we have executive director and CEO of the housing authority for the city of Annapolis, Melissa Maddox Evans.

0:46

Ms.

0:46

Maddox Evans, are you present?

0:52

Yes.

0:53

Great.

0:54

Thank you.

0:55

And great.

0:58

Oh I saw the video for a second.

1:00

There you are.

1:01

Great.

1:01

Thank you for joining us.

1:02

And thanks again for the presentation last night.

1:05

We are here for an informational session.

1:08

Appreciate that you are here to do that.

1:10

Are you introducing someone else to do that to do that or are you taking the lead on this?

1:16

Yes, I was going to introduce our board commissioner Bishop Coates.

1:21

I was not sure if he was in the call yet.

1:25

If you can just start with identifying yourself, I guess we all have our names in our boxes here.

1:30

So I don't know if that's really necessary, but it just seems like a good thing to do.

1:34

Sure.

1:34

I'm Melissa Maddox Evans, executive director, CEO of the housing authority of the city of Annapolis.

1:41

Very good.

1:42

And you were starting to say, is there anyone else on the call that you would like to introduce?

1:47

Yes, I wanted to ish uh uh uh welcome Bishop Coates if he's on the line.

1:55

Bishop Coast is not on just yet.

1:57

Okay, I think he's trying to get on.

2:00

Um so um on behalf of him, I would like to extend an appreciation uh for providing us the time to speak with you today.

2:11

We'll have a lot of great information to share with you that I hope will prove um beneficial uh to you once we uh complete our presentation.

2:21

Um if you would not mind, uh if you wouldn't mind holding your questions uh until the end, um I uh hope that many of your questions will be answered throughout the course of the presentation.

2:34

But if you still have questions toward the end, we will be happy to um uh hear those and discuss those.

2:42

So the presentation is about 30 uh minutes or so or 40, and I would like to begin that presentation now, if I can.

2:54

Uh yes, I want to acknowledge that Alderwoman Dayshakanti is also on the uh call.

3:00

Okay.

3:02

Um are you able to see a screen that says uh background roles?

3:07

Yes, response, but okay, great.

3:10

And so uh uh good afternoon to you all, uh to mayor, city council and colleagues, and thank you for uh taking the time for this conversation.

3:21

Um I just want to start with the uh I want us to be able to leave uh this time today with a better understanding of what HACA is, uh uh our operating model and how it's changing, and uh that will help to prove to be uh improve in uh effective partnership with the city of Annapolis.

3:44

So the goal is not to make you our federal house housing expert by by any means, but it is to give us a common framework for decisions that affect the residents, most importantly, our neighborhoods and the long-term affordability of Annapolis.

4:00

So I'm going to begin by uh providing four ideas uh with regards to the outcome, hopefully the outcome of this briefing.

4:10

So um, so first Hacker is an independent public institution.

4:16

Our authority is very uh distinct, but our outcomes are shared with the city.

4:22

So our operating model is changing because the inherited model uh uh we can't uh afford to meet uh the uh future possibilities with the with the model that we're currently under that has been in place for decades, and we establish sort of a new vision, uh new vision, a roadmap HACA 2035, uh, to be able to uh help us towards that uh both short-term stabilization and long-term uh stewardship.

5:00

So if we can keep those four ideas in view as we go through this presentation, the legal and the financial details are going to make a lot more sense and the opportunities for coordination more clearer.

5:10

And so the first idea is about HACA's institutional role.

5:16

And it's pretty much foundational for everything.

5:22

And so in terms of our role, Maryland created housing authorities, generally speaking, to perform an essential government function.

5:34

And we are constituted by a seven member board, which governs the housing authority, which is appointed by the mayor and city council.

5:45

Our structure matters because it defines the levels of accountability.

5:52

So although HACKA is not a city department, we are also not totally unaccountable to the city.

6:00

So we answer through law, through HUD agreements, public meetings, audits, inspections, contracts, and board policy.

6:10

There are clear roles, but it's not about creating distance, it's just about understanding how our two public institutions work and work together, can work together responsibly for the residents.

6:29

So this structure helps because it helps to recall that the issues that housing authorities face are something that has been is faced nationwide as to why these laws were even created in the first place.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting
Affordable Housing█████████████████████████████████████████████65%
Public Housing███████████████21%
Public Safety███5%
Procedural██3%
Public Engagement██3%
Racial Equity█2%
Community Engagement█1%
Summary of Proceedings

Annapolis City Council Virtual Special Work Session on Low-Income Public Housing Programs

On September 9, 2026, at 2:00 PM, the Annapolis City Council held a virtual special work session to receive an informational briefing from Melissa Maddox-Evans, Executive Director/CEO of the Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis (HACA), and Bishop Craig Coates, Chair of the HACA Board of Commissioners. The session aimed to provide council members with a deeper understanding of HACA's legal framework, programs, and strategic direction (HACA 2035) to foster a more effective partnership. No public comments were taken, and no votes were conducted.

Presentation by HACA Executive Director Melissa Maddox-Evans

  • Maddox-Evans outlined HACA's role as an independent public institution created under Maryland law to perform an essential government function: providing safe, affordable housing where the private market fails. She emphasized that HACA is not a city department but shares outcomes with the city.
  • HACA's governing board is appointed by the mayor and city council, and the authority operates under a broad set of federal and state laws, HUD agreements, and board-approved policies. The agency currently has 28 employees, manages 54 public housing units, administers 770 vouchers (tenant-based and project-based), and serves over 1,100 families.
  • Maddox-Evans explained the distinction between public housing (HACA as owner/manager) and voucher programs (tenant-based assistance follows the family; project-based assistance stays with the unit). She clarified that each program has different eligibility, mobility, and compliance rules.
  • She described the planned conversion of traditional public housing units to mixed-income, RAD/project-based voucher properties under the HACA 2035 strategic plan. By end of 2027, public housing units will decrease to 353, while voucher units will increase to about 970.
  • The tax credit financing model was detailed: tax credits sold to investors generate equity that reduces debt, keeping rents affordable. Post-redevelopment, properties will have multiple layers of oversight (HUD, city, state, investors).
  • Maddox-Evans identified seven areas where the city can support HACA: code enforcement resources, permit review assistance, specific funding (operational and capital), advocacy and resident presence, information sharing (especially on right-to-return), public safety engagement, and board oversight.

Discussion and Council Questions

  • Councilmember Thorpe asked for clarity on legal authorities and accountability. Maddox-Evans directed him to the Maryland Housing Authorities Law, the cooperation agreement, and the pilot agreement between the city and HACA. Bishop Coates added that council presence at HACA board meetings and reviewing public documents builds trust.
  • Councilmember Huntley raised concerns about resident mistrust regarding the right to return, particularly at Bloomsbury Square. Bishop Coates emphasized the importance of consistent language between the city and HACA and suggested using trusted voices from past successful redevelopments (e.g., Wilburne Estates) to reassure residents. Maddox-Evans noted that residents must have eligible household members listed on their lease to secure the right to return.
  • Councilmember Huntley also asked about consolidating the multiple inspections (city, state, federal) that burden HACA maintenance staff (70–80% of their time). Maddox-Evans explained that while they attempt to coordinate, HUD inspections offer only 28 days' notice and are inflexible. Mayor Littmann noted that the recent $15 million lawsuit over unequal inspections would make consolidation legally complex.
  • Councilmember Johnson asked about relocation options during redevelopment. Maddox-Evans explained that residents are offered choices: on-site moves to vacant units, transfers to other HACA properties, vouchers for private housing, or staying with relatives. A relocation team works individually with each family, and residents receive a 90-day notice before their phase begins.
  • City Attorney Cooper Smith asked about resident councils. Maddox-Evans clarified that tenant councils and the Resident Advisory Board are independent; HACA assists with elections and funding but cannot attend meetings without invitation. Tenant councils have their own bylaws and officers.
  • Bishop Coates recommended readings (e.g., Politics and Public Housing by Dr. Rhonda Williams) to deepen understanding of community culture and activism in public housing contexts.

Key Outcomes

  • The session was purely informational; no formal actions or votes were taken.
  • Council members gained a more detailed understanding of HACA's independent authority, the various program types, and the complexities of redevelopment and financing.
  • Mayor Littmann concluded by framing the discussion as part of an ongoing series to improve collaboration between the city and HACA.
  • The next steps include continuing quarterly coordination meetings and reinforcing consistent messaging around resident rights and responsibilities.

Meeting Transcript

Would everyone willing and able please stand for the pledge of allegiance. I have a flag behind me by my shoulder. I pledge allegiance me to the flag. And to the republic publication undergoing civil municipality. Thank you. City Attorney Cooper Smith, would you please present the first item on the agenda? Yes, the first item on the agenda is ID 1682. Thank you. We have, I don't see her on the screen yet, but I'm assuming we have executive director and CEO of the housing authority for the city of Annapolis, Melissa Maddox Evans. Ms. Maddox Evans, are you present? Yes. Great. Thank you. And great. Oh I saw the video for a second. There you are. Great. Thank you for joining us. And thanks again for the presentation last night. We are here for an informational session. Appreciate that you are here to do that. Are you introducing someone else to do that to do that or are you taking the lead on this? Yes, I was going to introduce our board commissioner Bishop Coates. I was not sure if he was in the call yet. If you can just start with identifying yourself, I guess we all have our names in our boxes here. So I don't know if that's really necessary, but it just seems like a good thing to do. Sure. I'm Melissa Maddox Evans, executive director, CEO of the housing authority of the city of Annapolis. Very good. And you were starting to say, is there anyone else on the call that you would like to introduce? Yes, I wanted to ish uh uh uh welcome Bishop Coates if he's on the line. Bishop Coast is not on just yet. Okay, I think he's trying to get on. Um so um on behalf of him, I would like to extend an appreciation uh for providing us the time to speak with you today. We'll have a lot of great information to share with you that I hope will prove um beneficial uh to you once we uh complete our presentation. Um if you would not mind, uh if you wouldn't mind holding your questions uh until the end, um I uh hope that many of your questions will be answered throughout the course of the presentation. But if you still have questions toward the end, we will be happy to um uh hear those and discuss those. So the presentation is about 30 uh minutes or so or 40, and I would like to begin that presentation now, if I can. Uh yes, I want to acknowledge that Alderwoman Dayshakanti is also on the uh call. Okay. Um are you able to see a screen that says uh background roles? Yes, response, but okay, great. And so uh uh good afternoon to you all, uh to mayor, city council and colleagues, and thank you for uh taking the time for this conversation. Um I just want to start with the uh I want us to be able to leave uh this time today with a better understanding of what HACA is, uh uh our operating model and how it's changing, and uh that will help to prove to be uh improve in uh effective partnership with the city of Annapolis. So the goal is not to make you our federal house housing expert by by any means, but it is to give us a common framework for decisions that affect the residents, most importantly, our neighborhoods and the long-term affordability of Annapolis. So I'm going to begin by uh providing four ideas uh with regards to the outcome, hopefully the outcome of this briefing. So um, so first Hacker is an independent public institution. Our authority is very uh distinct, but our outcomes are shared with the city. So our operating model is changing because the inherited model uh uh we can't uh afford to meet uh the uh future possibilities with the with the model that we're currently under that has been in place for decades, and we establish sort of a new vision, uh new vision, a roadmap HACA 2035, uh, to be able to uh help us towards that uh both short-term stabilization and long-term uh stewardship.

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