Columbia adds 76 apartment units for disabled adults, older residents, families

A new 76-unit apartment community in Columbia will provide housing for low-income adults with disabilities, older adults, and younger adults and families.

Located at 6441 Freetown Road, the $44-million Patuxent Commons apartment community was developed by nonprofit developer Mission First Housing Group. It was based on an intergenerational housing concept created by the nonprofit Autism Society of Maryland that aims to empower disabled individuals to live independently and to foster connections among people of different generations and abilities.

“We are taking another step towards a more inclusive, compassionate, and connected community,” Howard County Executive Calvin Ball said in a statement. “Years in the making, Patuxent Commons took a village to bring it to life. This intergenerational community represents the best of who we are. It represents the power of collaboration. It represents the possibilities that we can unlock when we dream boldly. And, most of all, it represents our compassion as a community.”

Of the 76 apartment units, 19 are being rented to low-income residents with disabilities, 30 are being rented to older adults, and 27 are being rented to younger adults and families.

Howard County leaders, representatives from Mission First Housing Group and Autism Society of Maryland, and other community members gathered for a ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday to mark the opening of the new apartments.

County leaders and the developers see Patuxent Commons as a model for similar housing developments that could be built elsewhere in Maryland and throughout the United States to address housing instability among adults with disabilities.

“Patuxent Commons may be one project, but it embodies a vision that we are determined to see replicated,” said Melissa Rosenberg, executive director of Autism Society of Maryland, in a statement. “Together with Mission First and our many partners and supporters, we’re demonstrating what’s possible when affordable housing truly includes people of all abilities.”

Patuxent Commons is situated at the northeast corner of Cedar Lane and Freetown Road, and has access to nearby transit, shopping, recreation, and job opportunities. The apartment community also includes common areas for neighbors to gather.

“Our new and innovative Patuxent Commons housing community is a ‘proof of concept’ development,” said Thomas A.K. Queenan, chief executive officer and president for Mission First Housing Group, in a statement. “We are excited to open our doors to this long-awaited project that welcomes all abilities and incomes to a supported living environment. We expect this project will be a model for further developments where adults with disabilities, seniors and families can live together in an environment that encourages social connections through community-building events and services.”