A new community for adults with disabilities, families, and older adults is coming to Columbia.
Patuxent Commons will be a new 76-unit affordable apartment community for adults with disabilities, older adults, and families at 6441 Freetown Road in Columbia.
Construction is set to begin this month on the new housing development, which was announced Tuesday through a partnership among Mission First Housing Group, Howard County Housing Commission, and the Autism Society of Maryland.
The community will focus on using housing as a springboard to maximize individual potential and facilitate community integration for people regardless of age, abilities, or income. The development is viewed as an innovative solution to the housing crisis facing adults with disabilities, which can be adapted elsewhere in Maryland and even serve as a model for developments throughout the United States.
“Mission First is pleased to be a key partner in this project. We are grateful to Howard County leadership for their ongoing commitment to this project,” said Thomas A.K. Queenan, Chief Executive Officer and President of Mission First. “Along with our community and service partners, we have been planning for this project for many years, and I am so happy this vision is finally becoming a reality, addressing critical housing needs in Howard County.”
Autism Society of Maryland (AUSOM) developed the concept for Patuxent Commons to help address the housing instability faced by low-income adults with disabilities. Another primary goal was to increase and enhance their social connectedness through community engagement.
“With Patuxent Commons now under construction, adults with disabilities in Howard County are one step closer to having access to much-needed inclusive, affordable housing,” said Melissa Rosenberg, Executive Director of AUSOM. “We appreciate Mission First’s determined efforts to advance the project and the steadfast commitment of the Howard County government to its development.”
The site for Patuxent Commons is across the street from Hickory Ridge Village Center, which is considered an ideal location for its residents because of the center’s shopping, employment, recreation, and transit opportunities. The project also includes more than 8,000 square feet of community meeting space to be used for programming for the residents and members of the larger community.
The $44 million funding for Patuxent Commons is coming from the Howard County Department of Housing and Community Development grant funding, Tax Exempt Bonds issued by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, Community Development Administration, along with Rental Housing Works subordinate debt, an FHA loan through Capital One with 221d4 mortgage insurance, JP Morgan Chase as the bond buyer, and Enterprise as the tax credit investor. Mission First raised additional grant funds for the project through federal, state, and private sources, including The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation.
A formal groundbreaking ceremony is being planned for September 2024, with completion of the project expected in early 2026.
Section 8 ?
Amazing! As someone who has worked supporting people with disabilities in MD for 10 years- housing costs are the number one issue. Even excluding housing, SSI isn’t nearly enough to pay for one’s living costs and there are hundreds of people with disabilities who are constantly seeking jobs only to be turned down.