November 6, 2024 - Fall Housing Guide

The University of Maryland’s Independent Student Newspaper

THE DIAMONDBACK

Housing Guide 2024

2

Table of contents

CONTENTS 3 affordable housing grant

6 umd rha goals

4 rent subsidy program

7 college park suburb ranking

5 College Park towers redevelopment Founded 1910, independent since 1971.

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Members of the College Park City Council during a meeting on Oct. 8, 2024. (Giuseppe LoPiccolo/The Diamondback)

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City council affordable housing

College Park City Council approves grant to renovate building for affordable housing

By Pera Onal I Staff writer

The College Park City Council authorized the city manager to execute a more than $147,000 contract with a construction company for exterior repairs on a historic city-owned property on Calvert Road.

The property, which was built in 1898 and bought by the city in 2022, will become another affordable housing option for students or seniors in the city, according to city documents.

The contract with Modern Construction Services, a company that pursues renovations on historic properties, will go toward repainting, installing air conditioning units, replacing wood, window and roof shingles and more, Miriam Bader, the city’s director of planning, said during the Oct. 8 meeting.

City documents state that the house contains four apartments: a two-bedroom unit on the first floor, two, single-bedroom small efficiency units on the second floor and a single-bedroom unit on the third floor.

Architect Thomas Taltavull, who specializes in historic buildings, was hired by city staff for this project. He said the house is in “decent shape” compared to other houses its age, most likely because it’s been lived in and maintained since its construction.

The house’s positive condition means it can be renovated instead of going through the process of demolition and rebuilding, Taltavull said.

Obtaining the money, finding people for the job and finishing the renovations in time, Taltavull said, will be the hardest parts of the process. “[Historic buildings] need a special craftsmanship, which is hard to find nowadays,” he said.

District 3 council member Stuart Adams expressed his hesitation with voting on the grant at Tuesday’s meeting because there hasn’t been community feedback yet.

“Before we spend hundreds of thousands of dollars, we really need to understand

what the true short term plan is,” Adams was to have the tenants vacate by Decemsaid. ber, but Bader convinced him to stretch the According to city documents, the money time frame to June. This gives the tenants will be sourced from the 2025 fiscal year enough time to leave the property and budget. consider the housing options that may Adams also noted that there have been be available during the start of the spring other renovations recommended by the semester, Young said. architect that are going to cost the city “Ms. Bader convinced me to have more of additional money. Additional projects in a human heart than a city manager’s heart,” the city, Adams said, need to be prioritized, he said. especially due to the small staff working on Only exterior renovations were authoeach of them. rized at Tuesday’s meeting. The council According to city documents, will be will discuss how to move forward with sourced from the 2025 fiscal year budget. funding interior renovations at a future Adams also noted that there have been meeting. other renovations recommended by the architect that are going to cost the city additional money. Additional projSCHEDULE A TOUR ects in the city, Adams said, need to be prioritized, especially due to the small staff working on each of them.

“We purchased this property two and a half years ago,” Adams said.

“This is the first time I think it’s been on council as an action item related to this property.”

Though he felt comfortable voting with the other council members if they were in favor of it, he said the amount of questions they have about the topic should be considered.

Before the city can begin the authorized renovations, the building’s current tenants must be relocated.

City Manager Kenny NOW LEASING domaincollegeparkapts.com Young said at the meeting that his original plan

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rent subsidy program

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College Park receives more than 350 applications for student rent subsidy pilot program

By Pera Onal I Staff writer The city of College Park has received its first applications for the student rent subsidy pilot program, which grants select University of Maryland students $1,250 to assist them with housing.

The city received 133 undergraduate applications and 225 graduate applications, assistant city manager Bill Gardiner said. Only 120 students will receive the subsidy, he said.

The city is currently reviewing the applications.

The students, who will be chosen by a lottery, will “hopefully” have their checks by early November, Gardiner said.

According to former College Park City Council student liaison Gannon Sprinkle, the program reminds students that the city cares about their needs and is working to alleviate the cost of living.

Sprinkle was part of the council committee that developed the program last year. The council voted to approve the pilot in May. The large application turnout, Sprinkle said, proves it is important for the city to cater to and reach out to students.

But some city residents consider it unfair for students to receive aid for the few years they live in College Park.

At a Sept. 24 council meeting, District 3 resident David Dorsch expressed his concern with the council’s decision to provide financial aid to students who aren’t from College Park.

“As my other neighbors have said to me, I don’t know why we do this,” Dorsch said at the meeting. “I would think that there are better ways to spend our city’s money than just giving it away to students that happen to be living in the apartment buildings here for [the university].”

As a senior resident, Dorsch said, he doesn’t understand why students need more financial aid than him and his peers.

District 3 council member Stuart Adams acknowledged Dorsch’s concerns at the meeting, and said senior residents have legitimate needs.

Adams emphasized the importance of the council helping families who may struggle with affording childcare — a group that includes graduate

students.

“You’ll see that, across the country, child care costs have just skyrocketed during the pandemic,” Adams said.

University president Darryll Pines told The Diamondback that the student rent subsidy program will provide crucial help to graduate students at this university who may face different situations than undergraduate students, such as raising a family and paying for childcare.

Because housing costs play a role in students’ college decision, Pines explained, it is critical the university values the opportunity to expand housing options.

“We know that affordable housing is a challenge in our area,” Pines told The Diamondback. “We are grateful to partner with the city of College Park and … commend them for taking this initiative.”

Though there are no current plans to continue funding the rent subsidy program beyond this year, Gardiner said the city council will survey applicants to help decide whether to continue it.

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CP Towers Redevelopment

College Park Towers scheduled to undergo significant redevelopment

By Irit Skulnik I Staff writer Landmark Properties developers presented their plans to redevelop College Park Towers — a condominium complex on Hartwick Road — at a community meeting on Sept. 19 in College Park City Hall.

Landmark Properties, which previously developed The Standard at College Park apartment complex, has signed a contract to acquire College Park Towers, according to a statement from Landmark Properties.

The company plans to redevelop the site into a new housing complex called The Mark at College Park, the statement read.

The proposed development would include more than 2,000 beds across two buildings, a parking deck, multiple large courtyards, a 5,000-square-foot retail space and a path bisecting the property for “improved pedestrian connectivity,” the developers’ statement read.

The community meeting was a necessary first step for the development according to county planning guidelines because the project exceeds 10 housing units, 10,000 square feet of gross floor area and requires rezoning.

District 3 city council member Stuart Adams said the redevelopment would provide opportunities for the city to improve stormwater management, enhance pedestrian safety in the area and bolster sustainability efforts.

The development would also align with the city’s affordable housing goals due to the high demand for student housing, Adams said.

Hamilton Reynolds, one of the developers from Landmark Properties at the meeting, said that the building will offer five-bedroom units and some

“

It’s going to be a real shame to have to relocate and find a new apartment building to live in, especially because one of the unique features features of College Park Towers is that it is condominium style.

double occupancy units, which will help lower the cost for residents.

Community members who attended the meeting cited several concerns regarding the new development, including affordability, sustainable practices and the inclusion of a first-floor retail space.

University of Maryland student Shuli Frenkel, who

is a resident of College Park Towers, raised concerns about the development’s ability to provide accommodations for observant Jewish residents, such as herself.

Observant Jewish people typically abstain from using electricity during Shabbat — Judaism’s traditional day of holiness and rest that falls every Friday evening and lasts until Saturday night.

As a result, College Park Towers has been accommodating these residents with manual Shabbat keys that provide them with stairwell access instead of needing to use their electronic swipes, the junior criminology and criminal justice major explained.

Frenkel, the Student Government Association’s co-director of student affairs, said it has been difficult to find other off-campus apartment buildings that offer alternatives to electronic swipes.

Reynolds addressed Frenkel’s concerns and said he was grateful she brought the issue to light. He and his team will see what they can do to continue accommodating religious Jewish residents, Reynolds said.

College Park Towers has been very communicative with the fact that the buildings have been bought and are poised for redevelopment, Frenkel said. But she emphasized that she will miss the current condominium setup in which each unit is owned by an individual landlord.

“It’s going to be a real shame to have to relocate and find a new apartment building to live in, especially because one of the unique features of College Park Towers is that it is condominium style,” Frenkel said.

For condominium-style apartments, there is variation for each unit in terms of style and layout, Frenkel explained. Residents can also pay for the apartment as a whole, so roommates are able to divide the rent amongst themselves, a feature that Frenkel said she appreciates.

Clay Gump, a Lutherville resident, said he has owned two units in College Park Towers since 2013.

He said that while his units have been a good investment, he is ready to leave the rental business.

“I knew it wouldn’t last forever,” Gump said.

Construction for The Mark at College Park is scheduled to start in 2026 and the project could be completed as soon as 2029, according to Landmark Properties’ statement.

The exterior of College Park Towers on Sept. 19, 2024. (Giuseppe LoPiccolo/

The Diamondback)

UMD Rha goals

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UMD RHA hopes to create inclusive dorm communities, bolster student turnout

By Nicole Pilsbury I Staff writer The University of Maryland RHA plans to prioritize building stronger dorm communities and increasing student engagement ahead of the 2024 elections this academic year.

One of the Residence Hall Association’s most important goals is to bring residents from various communities across campus closer together, according to Kevin Duru, RHA’s resident life advisory team coordinator. Dorm-hosted events are an important way for students to connect with their community, Duru added.

“I really want to push initiatives for the department to help people feel more welcome, feel more belonging, so that way they’re more inspired to stay on campus,” the senior biochemistry major said.

Several RHA executive board members said many students feel disconnected from the broader campus community.

The executive board hopes to build connections across dorms and reach out to students who “slip through the cracks,” such as freshmen who live on South Campus rather than North Campus, according to RHA vice president Michelle Ameyaw.

Freshman connection students, transfer students and out-of-state students may also feel disconnected from the campus community, Duru noted. Duru, who served as a resident assistant last year, said conflicts made residents

feel unwelcome on campus and in dorms. This November’s election may be another opportunity for students “to feel divided,” Duru said, emphasizing the need for students to embrace their similarities.

As many college students live on their own for the first time, finding a community that supports them will “set them up for success,” RHA president Samantha Briggs said.

“With our unique access to the residence halls, we should be playing a larger role in connecting students,” the senior government and politics major said.

Hniang Par, RHA’s programming and community development director, hopes to create more campus-wide events that bring students together. In past years, RHA has hosted events such as an arcade, South Campus Carnival and casino night, Par said. Par, a junior public health science major, also hopes to work with the vice presidents of programming and community development in each dorm to plan events and facilitate community within their councils. Ahead of November’s elections, RHA also wants to increase civic engagement on campus by encouraging students to register to vote, Ameyaw, a junior biological sciences major, said. RHA plans to partner with TerpsVote Coalition — a student organization dedicated to encouraging student civic engagement — to create a competition between residents

called “Floats for Votes.” The competition would incentivize students to register to vote with free ice cream, Ameyaw said. Briggs said she believes having students register to vote now will make them more likely to vote in the future.

It is part of RHA’s duty to educate students about civic engagement, she added.

“It’s important we take on a large role in facilitating this by working with other organizations on campus to increase our reach,” Briggs said.

Mikhail Labar, RHA’s dining services advisory board coordinator said he wants to expand kosher dining options across campus. Labar said this will be a multi-year project but would like to see it begin during his time as coordinatorCurrently, there is not a clear plan as to how kosher dining will be expanded as the initiative is in the early planning stage, according to Labar, a sophomore mechanical engineering and management major. RHA’s dining services advisory board works with the dining services leadership team to gather student feedback about changes in dining services and to propose future ideas, Labar said.

While the board only has a few active members, Labar would like to see its membership grow and further its reach to students outside of RHA, he said.

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Suburb ranking

College Park ranked fifth-best Washington, D.C., suburb

By Irit Skulnik I Staff writer College Park is the fifth-best Washington, D.C., suburb to live in, according to Livability, a website that helps people find the best cities to live and work.

Livability highlighted the city’s bike-friendly trails and diversity among residents as factors that contributed to its ranking. Alexandria, Virginia, was named the best Washington, D.C., suburb, and Gaithersburg, Frederick, Fairfax and Fredericksburg rounded out the top six in last month’s rankings.

College Park was the only Prince George’s County city in the top six.

Livability also noted the College Park Aviation Museum, Lake Artemesia and the University of Maryland’s “vibrant art scene” as important factors in the fifth-place ranking.

This university was also named the best college for LGBTQ+ students in the 2023 BestColleges annual rankings, which contributed to Livability’s assessment.

The rankings referenced a 2019 Business Insider story that named College Park the fourth-best college town in the United States to begin a career.

College Park Mayor Fazlul Kabir expressed his excitement about the ranking and said he agreed with the factors Livability considered.

Kabir emphasized College Park’s public transportation system, noting that it improves the city’s accessibility to Washington, D.C. The city’s diversity and unique demographics are other positive factors, Kabir said.

“There’s so much to celebrate,” Kabir said. “I’m not really surprised, but we are very thankful.”

District 3 city council member Stuart Adams said the ranking was a “warranted accolade,” especially due to the city’s public transportation, business scene and walkability to this university’s campus.

He appreciated that Liveability’s ranking cited spe-

cific city initiatives, including its free summer concert series.

Avery Bonner, a freshman biology major at this university, said although she lives on campus, she enjoys spending time in downtown College Park.

Bonner, who used to live in Arlington, Virginia, compared the city to College Park. While College Park is smaller, she has noticed growth across the city.

The Berwyn neighborhood in College Park on April 16, 2023. (Taneen Momeni/The Diamondback)

“There’s a lot of new construction, and all the apartment buildings are super nice,” Bonner said.

Bonner added that she is excited for the Purple Line to be completed.

The light rail project will make public transportation from College Park to Washington, D.C., more accessible, Bonner said. Bonner said the city’s Green Line metro station is difficult to reach from campus.

The Purple Line, which will have five stops in or around this university’s campus, will connect New Carrollton to parts of Montgomery County. The light rail is scheduled to begin carrying passengers in De-

cember 2027, according to the project’s website.

Julie Nusraty, who is from Potomac, Maryland, said she was surprised to learn about College Park’s high ranking.

[College Park Towers scheduled to undergo significant redevelopment] Nusraty, who is originally from Potomac, Maryland, said she did not expect College Park to rank so highly among the other nearby suburbs.

“It’s a happy surprise,” the sophomore, who is enrolled in letters and sciences, said. “I have a lot of pride being a Terp.”

But Nusraty said she would like to see the city focus on improving public safety. She referenced the frequency of University of Maryland Police crime alerts and added that she does not feel safe walking around the city alone at night.

Moving forward, Kabir hopes to continue rebuilding and improving Route 1, which runs through the middle of College Park.

He also hopes to increase job opportunities in the city and further economic development, specifically in the Discovery District — an incubator space for startups and research that stretches from Route 1 to River Road.

Adams wants to make affordable housing more accessible in the area.

Affordable housing is critical to retain residents and attract new ones, specifically post-graduate students at this university who want to stay close, Adams explained.

Despite the concerns, Adams emphasized the positive direction the city is moving toward.

“The city is doing a really good job and we just got to continue with the momentum that we have,” Adams said.