Redeveloped RAD Property Boosts Quality of Life

Local partners pose for a photo at the Hollins House ribbon cutting ceremony in May, including HUD Baltimore Field Office Director Carol Payne (third from the left).

Exterior view of Hollins House.

More than $10 million in exterior and interior renovations at Hollins House have given seniors and persons with disabilities a beautiful building and amenities that are sure to boost their quality of life.

Located in the Hollins Market neighborhood of Baltimore, MD, the Hollins House high-rise building reopened in May 2017, with 130 one-bedroom apartments complete with new windows, upgraded floors, kitchens, bathrooms and HVAC.

Through HUD's Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) program, the apartments were converted from public housing to subsidized housing with project-based Section 8 rental assistance.

"We have a backlog of many projects across the country that require renovation and redevelopment," said Carol Payne, HUD's Baltimore Field Office Director. "Without partnerships, these projects cannot happen. Hollins House has a very broad scope of partnerships and a strong collaboration with University of Maryland."

A wide range of health and wellness programs are available to Hollis House residents from Senior Fitness Challenge and Diabetes Management to the University of Maryland-Baltimore School of Nursing, Agape Food Distribution, eye exams and more.

Hollins Market is an up-and-coming neighborhood in Southwest Baltimore conveniently located near downtown Baltimore, the Stadium district and the University of Maryland BioPark. The historic area is diverse with neighbors of all ages, races and socioeconomic backgrounds.

The RAD program involves converting public housing to project-based rental assistance or project-based vouchers, raising private capital for rehabilitation through an FHA-insured mortgage or other private sources. An $11.4 million permanent FHA-insured loan and $7.5 million in tax credit equity are two of the major financial sources that made the Hollins House redevelopment possible.

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