Mayor Emmett Jordan, at a January 26 Greenbelt City Council worksession, asserted “we are a city of associations.” Focused on Greenbelt East, council met with homeowner association board members and Executive Vice President Rick Cummings from property manager Condominiums Ventures Incorporated (CVI) to have a detailed discussion of the most pressing issues these communities are facing. Crime, infrastructure and the impact of aging (construction periods span the 1960s through the 1980s) were among the common threads. The properties discussed were Greenbriar, Windsor Green, Hunting Ridge (all three managed by CVI) and Greenwood Village (managed by D.H. Bader Management). With 2,500 units in all, CVI is the biggest property manager in Greenbelt, thus making them an important city stakeholder (Charlestowne Village is included in their portfolio).
Greenbriar Condominiums has 754 units spaced over three phases. Cummings cited public safety and the relationship with adjoining Eleanor Roosevelt High School as major concerns. While fees have gone up (a 9 to 10 percent increase) due to inflation and the rising cost of services, Cummings said that CVI has made efforts to mitigate even higher rates by things like the bulk purchase of utilities, seeing this as a success story. Waterproofing, foundation issues, brick and façade maintenance (affecting 60 percent of the buildings) and water infiltration are making significant demands on the community’s reserve funds. Efforts are being made to anticipate these continuing demands in the community’s reserve budget.
Cummings said that the recent building collapse in Florida has made obtaining homeowner loans a more difficult process with lenders now requiring detailed structural analysis before moving ahead. He characterized this as “a knee-jerk reaction.”
Windsor Green
Windsor Green, consisting of 654 townhouse units, has been making renovations on its community center and tennis courts, progress has been delayed by the budget shortfalls of the pandemic.
A long discussion was had about the responsibilities of the State Highway Administration (SHA) and the adjoining communities along Route 193 and its sidewalks, for snow and trash removal and landscaping. Council explained that SHA is only required to plow snow, collect litter and landscape on Route 193 itself, while communities like Windsor Green are responsible for the sidewalks adjoining their property. With the recent snowfall, snow removal has proved a costly task and presents a safety issue with students struggling to cross the road through the accumulation of snow on the sidewalks, much of it piled by SHA plows. The city is keen for SHA to take more of a role, appreciative of even partial snow removal, perhaps 100 feet from schools. Council has made efforts through the Maryland Municipal League to create legislation to increase sidewalk upkeep by SHA along state highways.
District 22 State Delegate Nicole Williams, a Greenbriar resident, said she plans to address these concerns with the new Maryland Secretary of Transportation.
Hunting Ridge
Hunting Ridge, according to Cummings, has continuing concerns about the proposed maglev train and was heartened by the cessation of the Beltway Widening project, as both would impinge greatly on the community. They have found success using security cameras in their parking lots. Cummings said that electric vehicle charging stations are being explored by CVI, but noted they would occupy common areas thereby limiting available parking, with the question of usage cost leaving the issue uncertain for now.
Derelict Comcast and Verizon cable boxes continue to linger throughout the city, presenting both an eyesore and a potential safety hazard. Frequently, requests from residents and the city to have them removed have been unaddressed. Acting City Manager Timothy George is looking into developing the most effective outreach to resolve this issue.
Greenwood Village
Greenwood Village, with 194 townhouses, experiences challenges with fee collection (now $45,000 in arrears) and possible unlicensed renting and units being occupied by up to eight people at times (whose familial relationships are perhaps dubious), creating parking issues, among other things. Council and Cummings recommended communication with the city, who has a list of the city’s renters, to verify rental violation suspicions.
Cummings recommended informing the county Health Department for action regarding the removal of the portable bathroom at the recently finished stormwater pond. It is both an eyesore and unsafe as it is being used without being cleaned.
Mandan Road was cited as an area of frequent car break-ins. Greenwood Village asked the city for additional lighting as a fix. Security cameras would have to be provided by the owners as it is private property.
Aging stormwater drainage systems was acknowledged as a huge issue across the city. Climate change, with the intensification of storms, is compounding the problem, as the systems were not designed for the increased volume of water. American Rescue Plan Act funds could possibly be used, but Councilmember Judith Davis reminded council that the funds are not unlimited and not every community will get what they are asking for to deal with this very expensive problem.
All board members and Cummings reported that, regarding property values, houses were being sold for the asking price, if not more.