145 affordable homes approved for Himes Avenue, with childcare space planned

A 145-unit housing project on Frederick’s west side is moving forward with a plan to bring three major household needs closer together: an affordable place to live, childcare and transportation.

The city’s Planning Commission approved plans for The Heights on Himes on Monday, Oct. 12, according to The Frederick News-Post. The 6.9-acre project is planned on county-owned land beside the Prospect Center at 585 Himes Ave.

Frederick County selected New York-based Conifer Realty in December 2025 to develop the property. The county will retain ownership of the land, an arrangement the report describes as helping make the affordable housing financially feasible.

The homes are intended for families earning no more than 60% of the area median income. Plans also include a 6,300-square-foot space intended for affordable childcare services available to the public. A free public transit stop is nearby.

County housing director Vincent Rogers told the News-Post that the combination addresses needs his office regularly hears about from households with low to moderate incomes.

Residents could also benefit from proximity to county services. Rogers said the divisions of housing and family services, along with part of the county health department, will eventually move into the Prospect Center. Those moves are planned, rather than services described as already operating there.

The project comes amid a much larger housing shortage. A county assessment released in February identified a need for more than 31,000 additional homes to accommodate population growth, including roughly 10,000 affordable to households earning 60% of area median income or less, according to the newspaper.

Planning Commissioner Robert Robey said developers frequently cite the cost of providing lower-priced housing and choose to pay fees rather than include affordable units in their projects.

Community representatives welcomed the Himes Avenue proposal. Golden Mile Alliance executive director Robert Van Rens praised the developer’s outreach and the project’s potential contribution to the west side. Frederick-based ADTEK Engineers and Zavos Architecture and Design prepared the design.

Kevin Sellner of the Frederick Housing Solutions Task Force suggested adding solar panels to help lower residents’ electricity expenses. That was a recommendation, not a confirmed feature of the approved plans. Steve Jakubczyk of Citizens for Responsible Growth also endorsed the approach.

The supplied report does not give a construction start date, opening date, rent schedule or application process. Planning approval advances the project, but it does not mean the homes are available to rent.