An Act of Faith and a Labor of Love

Caption: (front, l to r) Deacon Laurence Campbell, HUD Director Carol Payne, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Guinevere Matthews, Dr. Samuel Ross, Christine Madigan, Congressman Elijah Cummings, Rev. Dr. Hoffman Brown and Commissioner Paul Graziano; (back, l to r) Councilwoman Sharon Green Middleton, State Delegate Sandy Rosenberg, City Comptroller Joan Pratt, Assistant State Housing Secretary Clarence Suggs, State Senator Lisa Gladden and State Secretary of Aging Gloria Lawlah.

Wayland Village Senior Apartments in West Baltimore is a manifestation of faith from the principals and parishioners of the Wayland Baptist Church and a labor of love by all the people involved in the planning and construction of the 90-unit development for low- and moderate-income seniors and disabled adults. And, it is a godsend for the seniors who occupy its dwellings.

Guenivere Matthews, mother of 16, was the third tenant to move into the spacious apartments. Her husband, known as the guardian of the development because he kept a close watch from the moment the foundation was dug, died before he could move into the complex. Mr. Matthews watched over the building from his back porch as it was being constructed on land belonging to the church and leased to the development. The complex is owned by a four-way partnership consisting of Bon Secours Hospital, Wayland Baptist Church, Wayland Baptist CDC and Enterprise Community Investments, Inc.

Several hundred people were on hand to witness and participate in the ribbon cutting ceremony including Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake; Congressman Elijah Cummings; HUD Baltimore Field Office Director Carol Payne; State Senator Lisa Gladden; State Delegate Sandy Rosenberg; City Comptroller Joan Pratt; State Secretary of Aging Gloria Lawlah; Wayland Baptist Church pastor Reverend Dr. Hoffman Brown; Baltimore City Councilwoman Sharon Green Middleton; Baltimore City Housing Commissioner Paul Graziano; Enterprise Community Investments, Inc. Senior Vice President Christine Madigan; and Deacon Laurence Campbell, President of the Wayland Baptist Community Development Corporation, who coordinated the entire project. Others on hand were the architects, planners, HUD staffers, including Bhek Simmons, Wayland Project Manager and Bob Iber, Multifamily HUB Director of Project Management; community leaders, community residents and residents of Wayland Senior Village.

The independent senior facility, built in an underserved Baltimore City neighborhood, will help stabilize the community and provide much needed affordable housing to area residents. It is another step in the fulfillment of HUD's efforts to provide affordable housing to communities and to realize its sustainability goals for communities like the one in northwest Baltimore. The $2,771,300 mortgage commitment from HUD will be serviced by Enterprise Community Investments, Inc. which has worked in and successfully developed projects in the Baltimore/Washington, DC/Virginia area.

Visit HUD's website to learn about the Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program and the Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities program.