By Brandon Henry
AFRO Intern
The West North Avenue Development Authority (WNADA) recently announced that it had secured a $3.75 million investment, allowing them to rebuild and restore 35 homes in the West North Avenue corridor, specifically within the 2700 to 2900 blocks. The houses will be priced between $250,000 and $275,000.
Credit: Photo Courtesy of Teresa Stephens
Jared Jackson, WNADA’s housing and real estate development officer, said the organization’s aim is not just to address the area’s housing challenges, but its underlying economic stagnancy.
“Our entire goal was to turn a vacancy into economic activity, and that was through targeted public investment that unlocks private investment,” said Jackson. “We had a goal of increasing property tax, sales tax and income tax along the corridor.”
Jackson is also a Baltimore native, so he sees this investment as “a super exciting feeling.”
“It’s not just an area that has experienced this investment. It’s also an area that shaped Black America,” said Jackson. “Securing investment here, it feels very restorative. As someone from Baltimore, I see us as reclaiming a legacy that was interrupted by folks systematically. We’re not creating anything new.”
To assist with the rebuilding and restoration of the 35 homes, 10 local, minority- and women-owned developers have been selected.
Per Maryland’s government website, the Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Program was created in 1978 to make sure that socially and economically disadvantaged small business owners are included in the state’s procurement and contracting opportunities. The statewide goal is 29 percent, but WNADA has raised their agency goal to 31 percent, which was exceeded by 26 percentage points in fiscal year 2025.
“We want our developers to reflect the community that we serve or the neighborhoods that we serve, showing people that those who look like in the communities are contributing to the work and to the restoration of West North Avenue,” said Christy Turner, WNADA’s senior policy and research analyst.
Jackson said that some of the qualities they looked for in potential developers were transparency, understanding of the historical value of the project and people who cared about more than making a quick profit from the project.
“Overall, we just chose developers that respect the community and understand these houses are long term assets and not just short term arbitrage,” said Jackson.
ReBirth Development, Kouture Enterprises LLC and Real Estate Farmers LLC are among the 10 selected.
“I see this work as a chance to directly contribute to the revitalization of neighborhoods that have shaped my own story,” said Minyanna Farmer, West Baltimore native and founder of Real Estate Farmers LLC.
Leonard Dockins of Kouture Enterprises LLC said their familiarity with their mission prior to attending an event was only surface level.
“We were only reading and hearing about redevelopment efforts being planned near Coppin State College, similar to what was being explored in Park Heights, but we weren’t introduced to any tangible and executable ways to participate,” said Dockins. “This was true until we attended a WNADA event. Executive Director Chad Williams and his team was impressively thorough with articulating their mission, vision and their technical requirements.”
In addition to the improvement of the 35 homes, WNADA has another $250,000 in grant funding for Coppin State University and Maryland Institute College of Art’s (MICA) faculty and staff.
This also extends to Coppin Heights, Druid Heights and Maryland state employees, who are offered up to $50,000 in assistance towards a down payment for any home purchases in the 21216 and 21217 zip codes.
According to Teresa Stephens, WNADA’s public affairs officer, one of the things that makes WNADA unique is that they’re not just serving the community, they’re partnering with them too.
“There have been community meetings where we have more than 300 residents who are coming out from all of these 16 neighborhoods that are talking to Jared about housing, talking to Lorra about green space transportation, what specifically their master plans currently have, and how we, with the funding that the state has provided, can support that,” said Stephens. “While we are working for them, they are working in partnership with us, and we’re respecting the existing master plans that the communities have currently, so that we’re not duplicating any type of service. we’re trying to fill that particular request of the neighbors that haven’t had the resources, both financially or in the talent area or experience area, to do so that has been a big part of WNADA, and it really feels good the neighborhoods are at the table with us.”
Jackson views the investment as something that will also circulate jobs, and create a tax base, improving the community in more ways than one.
“This provides stability when families move in, and a vacant property becomes a home again,” said Jackson. “That is what helps a neighborhood feel whole again. I think West Baltimoreans especially will be able to get a taste of what used to be. I think that’s a very healthy reminder to the rest of Baltimore City on what could be done when folks mobilize and essentially put our money where our mouth is at.”