Families Raise Concerns About Conditions at Pennrose and Fairstead-Managed Properties in Annapolis

Over the past several weeks, Report Annapolis News has conducted an extensive investigation into concerns raised by residents living in affordable housing communities managed by Pennrose and Fairstead in Annapolis.

Through interviews with multiple families, reviews of emails, photographs, videos, inspection records, maintenance documentation, correspondence with public officials, and other supporting materials, the investigation has identified recurring concerns involving habitability, maintenance practices, accessibility, environmental hazards, communication, and tenant relations.

This article is an installment of an ongoing Report Annapolis News investigative series examining individual matters involving different families, different apartment communities, and two separate property management companies. While each family's experience stands on its own, together they present broader questions regarding housing conditions, property management practices, accountability, and the challenges some residents say they have encountered while seeking assistance.

This investigative series examines:

1. Wilbourn Estates (Pennrose): A family questions an alleged delay in receiving a medically necessary accessible housing accommodation following a serious injury the family says resulted from reported water intrusion inside the apartment.

2. Pennrose Mold-Related Displacement: A family describes being displaced to a hotel because of reported mold-related conditions before returning home and discovering additional concerns they say remained unresolved.

3. Woodside Gardens Apartments (Fairstead):

Residents describe reported concerns involving pests, sanitation, maintenance, communication with management, and historical issues spanning several years.

4. Obery Court (Pennrose): An ongoing investigation involving one family's reported concerns after multiple relocations within Pennrose-managed housing, including allegations involving mold, sewage backups, moisture intrusion, habitability concerns, damaged personal property, and property management practices. Click here for the related video. 

Although some themes overlap, Report Annapolis News has intentionally presented each family's experience separately to accurately reflect the distinct facts surrounding each matter and to avoid conflating unrelated allegations or circumstances.

The investigation is based on interviews with residents, documentation voluntarily provided by participating families, correspondence with property management and public officials, inspection-related records, photographs, videos, and conversations with community stakeholders, housing advocates, and other individuals familiar with the matters discussed throughout this series.

The matters discussed throughout this investigative series are based on information reported directly by participating residents, documentation voluntarily provided to Report Annapolis News, correspondence reviewed during the investigation, and other materials gathered through the reporting process. Pennrose and Fairstead have each been invited to respond to the concerns involving their respective properties. Any responses received will be incorporated into the upcoming article coverage as part of Report Annapolis News' commitment to fair, accurate, balanced, and transparent reporting.

1. Wilbourn Estates: Family Questions Delay in Accessible Housing Transfer

According to interviews and documents reviewed by Report Annapolis News, one family raised concerns after a resident allegedly suffered a serious fall inside an apartment in November 2025 after slipping because of reported water leaking into the kitchen from above the stove during rainy weather. According to the family, the fall resulted in a severe foot injury that later became infected, ultimately requiring extensive medical treatment.

The family said the injury led to months of hospitalization, rehabilitation, and major foot surgery. According to documentation reviewed by Report Annapolis News, medical providers later determined the resident could no longer safely navigate stairs and approved a reasonable accommodation requiring relocation to a first-floor or otherwise accessible apartment.

Documents reviewed by Report Annapolis News indicate the family communicated with City officials and property management over several months regarding the reported water intrusion and the requested transfer. Email correspondence from March 2026 reflects that City Planning and Zoning coordinated an inspection after receiving complaints about the reported leak. The correspondence also indicates that property management advised City officials another apartment had been made available, although the family maintains the approved transfer was never completed.

The family contends the reported leak occurred during rainfall and says photographs documenting the condition were later provided after inspectors did not observe active leaking during their visit.

According to the family, the resident remained hospitalized for an extended period, later entered a rehabilitation facility, and ultimately underwent major foot surgery. Throughout that time, physicians reportedly prohibited weight-bearing on the injured foot, making it unsafe to climb the two flights of stairs leading to the apartment.

The family told Report Annapolis News that when they later contacted the leasing office seeking an update on the approved transfer, they were informed the move would not proceed because it allegedly had not been completed before a June 1 deadline. The family disputes that any such deadline was ever communicated and maintains the resident was medically incapable of relocating during that period because of hospitalization, rehabilitation, and surgery.

The family further stated they were later informed there was an issue involving the approved apartment's renter's license but said no written explanation was provided describing the issue or explaining why the previously approved reasonable accommodation could not move forward.

Correspondence reviewed by Report Annapolis News shows the family requested written confirmation of the transfer's status, an explanation of the reported licensing issue, reinstatement of the approved reasonable accommodation or placement in another accessible apartment, temporary accessible housing if the approved apartment could not be occupied, and a written response outlining how management intended to resolve the matter.

According to the family, returning to the current apartment would place the resident at risk of further injury because of documented medical restrictions and the inability to safely access the unit.

The concerns raised by the Wilbourn Estates family represent one account examined during this investigation. As Report Annapolis News continued reviewing documents and interviewing residents, additional families came forward describing different experiences involving other Pennrose-managed properties. One family's account details an extended displacement from its home because of reported mold-related conditions and the challenges the household says continued even after returning to the apartment.

2. Pennrose Mold-Related Displacement: Family Says Concerns Continued Even After Returning Home

As Report Annapolis News continued reviewing documents and interviewing residents, another Pennrose family came forward describing a very different experience. According to interviews and documentation reviewed during this investigation, the family was displaced from its apartment after reporting mold-related conditions, spending several weeks in a hotel before eventually being allowed to return home.

The interview referenced in this section was conducted approximately one month before publication of this report. Since that interview, additional information has been provided by the family and has been incorporated where appropriate to provide updated context.

According to the family, the displacement followed repeated reports of mold concerns that they say persisted for approximately two years before the apartment was ultimately condemned. During that time, the family alleges they repeatedly notified property management of moisture and mold-related issues but believe the conditions were never fully resolved.

After spending weeks living in a hotel, the family was eventually permitted to return to the apartment. However, according to the family, returning home brought a new set of challenges.

The family alleges that upon reentering the apartment they discovered their deep freezer had been unplugged, causing all of the food stored inside to spoil. They also reported a strong odor throughout the residence, a dead mouse in one bedroom, and clothing that had reportedly been removed from closets and left on the floor.

According to the family, the financial impact extended well beyond the loss of food. They allege the displacement and the conditions inside the apartment resulted in damage to furniture, clothing, household belongings, children's possessions, and other personal property accumulated over the years.

The family told Report Annapolis News they ultimately returned to the same apartment rather than being relocated to another available unit. According to the family, they believe other units became occupied while they were waiting, despite their continued concerns regarding the condition of their residence.

The family also maintains that not all of the conditions that led to their displacement have been fully addressed and expressed little confidence that the remaining concerns will ultimately be resolved.

According to the family, communication from property management following their return has remained limited. They told Report Annapolis News they have not received compensation for alleged losses involving damaged belongings, spoiled food, or the additional expenses incurred while living in a hotel without access to a kitchen. They also stated they continue searching for legal representation.

The family described the experience as having significant emotional and financial consequences, particularly for the children in the household.

According to the family, one of the most difficult aspects of the experience has been what they describe as a lack of communication and compassion throughout the process. The family said their children simply wanted to return home, sleep in their own bedrooms, and play with their belongings, activities they say were disrupted for an extended period because of the reported conditions.

When asked what they believe should have been handled differently, the family said they wanted greater transparency, more consistent communication, and accommodations they believe were appropriate from the outset. Looking ahead, the family said they hope property management will prioritize safe living conditions, provide appropriate accommodations when necessary, and communicate honestly with residents.

The family also offered words of encouragement to other tenants facing similar situations, urging residents not to remain silent if they believe housing conditions are unsafe. According to the family, residents should continue documenting concerns, ask questions, and advocate for themselves when they believe problems are not being addressed.

The family recently reaffirmed its willingness to continue participating in Report Annapolis News' ongoing investigation.

"It needs to be said and people need to hear it."

As Report Annapolis News continued examining concerns raised by residents, the investigation expanded beyond Pennrose-managed communities. Additional interviews, historical correspondence, and supporting documentation also led the investigation to Woodside Gardens Apartments, a community managed by Fairstead, where residents described a separate set of concerns involving reported pests, sanitation, maintenance, communication with management, and other longstanding quality-of-life issues.

Those interviews also led the investigation back to Pennrose through another family whose experience spans multiple Pennrose-managed properties and now centers on ongoing concerns at Obery Court, where the investigation continues to evolve.

3. Woodside Gardens Apartments: Residents Raise Separate Concerns

As the investigation continued, Report Annapolis News also examined concerns raised by residents of Woodside Gardens Apartments, a separate affordable housing community managed by Fairstead.

Although unrelated to the Pennrose matters discussed earlier in this report, several current and former residents described recurring concerns they say have affected families living within the community over a number of years.

During interviews, residents described what they characterized as recurring concerns involving environmental issues, lease and account discrepancies, maintenance concerns, and communication with property management.

Emails reviewed by Report Annapolis News show those concerns were communicated directly to Fairstead management. In one response, management outlined plans for additional extermination treatments, inspections of neighboring apartments, and housekeeping inspections after receiving reports of bedbug activity.

One resident also reflected on growing up in the former Newtowne 20 community, expressing disappointment that, in the resident's view, some of the same quality-of-life concerns continue to affect families living there today.

Historical Context: Documents reviewed by Report Annapolis News indicate that concerns involving Woodside Gardens extend back several years.

In a November 2022 email sent to Fairstead and copied to local media outlets and public officials, residents alleged they had been promised either hotel accommodations or monthly housing stipends while displaced during apartment renovations. According to the correspondence, some residents later claimed they were informed the monthly stipend would instead become a one-time payment despite renovations expected to last several months. The correspondence also alleged residents received limited updates regarding the construction schedule and that some had begun exploring legal options.

While the circumstances surrounding Woodside Gardens differ from those involving Pennrose-managed properties, those interviews reinforced a broader theme that repeatedly surfaced throughout this investigation: residents consistently identified communication, responsiveness, and timely resolution of reported concerns among their greatest frustrations. 

Those recurring themes also emerged in another Pennrose case involving one family whose experience has spanned multiple relocations before ultimately leading to ongoing concerns at Obery Court.

4. An Obery Court Family Describes Years of Relocations and Ongoing Habitability Concerns

According to interviews and documents reviewed by Report Annapolis News, the family initially moved into a Pennrose-managed residence on Newtowne Drive in July 2022. According to the family, they were relocated from that apartment approximately one year later because of reported mold conditions and structural concerns.

The family said they were then moved to an apartment on Obery Court in February 2024. According to the family, similar concerns later developed there, ultimately resulting in another transfer to a different Obery Court unit in November 2025.

Despite multiple relocations within Pennrose-managed housing, the family told Report Annapolis News they believe many of the underlying concerns have continued from one residence to another.

The family also contends that, despite what they describe as ongoing mold, moisture, sewage, and other habitability concerns, a City housing inspection resulted in the unit passing inspection. According to the family, the inspection findings did not accurately reflect the conditions they say continued to exist inside the apartment.

According to the family, the residence has undergone numerous inspections during the family's tenancy. Reflecting on that process, one family member told Report Annapolis News:

"I've had several inspections, mostly all of them failed. Where is the accountability? They have only wanted to cover up the problem."

Report Annapolis News will be requesting records relating to those inspections as part of its continuing investigation.

Throughout interviews and written correspondence, the family described ongoing concerns involving reported mold, sewage backups, excessive moisture, ventilation issues, environmental hazards, and maintenance concerns they believe have affected the family's health, safety, and quality of life.

Documents reviewed by Report Annapolis News indicate the family has repeatedly sought assistance regarding a wide range of concerns. Among them are requests for an updated lease that the family says has not been provided despite repeated requests dating back to December 2025. 

According to the family, the absence of a current lease has created additional hardships, including difficulties applying for public assistance and enrolling children in school.

The family also questioned why repeated requests for records identifying contractors, maintenance personnel, inspection dates, and the reasons workers entered the apartment have gone unanswered. They also requested copies of inspection reports and documentation relating to work reportedly performed inside the residence.

According to the family, personal belongings left inside the apartment during periods of relocation were either missing or damaged upon returning. The family alleges those losses included furniture, bedding, clothing, food, medications, medical equipment, important personal paperwork, and numerous other household belongings accumulated over the years.

Additional concerns raised by the family include questions regarding utility costs, specifically a Baltimore Gas and Electric bill they believe should be addressed by property management.

According to the family, maintenance staff later replaced an air filter inside the apartment's ventilation system. However, the family alleges the condition of the air worsened afterward, describing black residue accumulating on household items, excessive moisture, food spoiling unusually quickly, suspected microbial growth beneath kitchen cabinetry, and a refrigerator that allegedly freezes food unexpectedly, makes unusual noises, and contributes to additional food loss.

The family also questioned notices related to scheduled repair work, alleging at least one notice contained incorrect dates, lacked a management signature, and did not provide what the family believed was adequate advance notice.

According to the family, management appeared focused on repairing ceilings, drywall, and other structural components of the apartment while longstanding concerns involving a reportedly nonfunctioning stove and refrigerator remained unresolved. The family questioned why repairs involving the property's physical condition appeared to receive priority over appliances they say are essential for preparing meals and safely storing food and medications.

The family's frustration is also reflected in subsequent correspondence reviewed by Report Annapolis News.

Since those interviews were conducted, the family has also reported the loss of air conditioning inside the apartment.

Correspondence reviewed by Report Annapolis News from tenant advocate Christopher Curry of the Tenants Rights Advisory Council's Litigation Referral Committee states that the residence was "not fit for habitation" because it was reportedly without air conditioning while environmental hazards also remained present.

According to the correspondence, requests for emergency assistance through the property's after-hours maintenance line allegedly went unanswered, and the listed telephone number for the property manager was reportedly not valid. The correspondence requested that property management provide a plan to resolve the reported conditions in order to avoid further escalation.

Correspondence reviewed by Report Annapolis News also includes a response attributed to Pennrose Chairman of the Board Mark Dambly. In response to Curry's email, the message stated:

"Maybe folks should take better care of their units and pay their rent on time and respect the community."

Report Annapolis News has not determined whether the statement was directed specifically at the family featured in this report or more generally at tenant concerns. The family disputes any suggestion that the reported conditions resulted from tenant neglect and maintains that the issues stem from the condition of the property and property management's response.

The family has also provided photographs, videos, emails, inspection-related documents, and other materials they believe document conditions inside the apartment over time. According to the family, those materials include images depicting what they describe as microbial growth beneath kitchen cabinets, photographs they believe show affected areas were painted over rather than fully remediated, and recordings they contend are relevant to conversations involving maintenance personnel and contractors.

Perhaps most significantly, the family alleges they have lived for an extended period without a properly functioning stove and refrigerator, making it difficult to prepare meals at home. According to the family, while structural repairs have continued, longstanding concerns affecting the family's daily living conditions have remained unresolved.

Throughout interviews and written correspondence, the family described the cumulative impact of the situation as extending well beyond the physical condition of the apartment, citing emotional, financial, and mental strain. 

According to the family, their goal is safe, habitable housing, accountability for reported losses, and appropriate compensation for damaged furniture, ruined bedding, spoiled food, medications, medical equipment, personal paperwork, and other belongings they say were affected.

The Investigation Continues: the Obery Court matter remains an active and evolving portion of Report Annapolis News' investigation.

The next installment will examine the family's documented history in significantly greater detail, including its relocations between Pennrose-managed properties, additional correspondence with property management, local and state agencies, tenant advocacy organizations, inspection records, environmental concerns, and other documentation the family believes further illustrates the challenges they have faced over the past several years.