Low-Income Housing in Hurlock Set for a DHCD Makeover

HURLOCK, Md. – A Maryland State project nears the finish line as it seeks to revitalize affordable housing in one Dorchester County neighborhood.

At the end of Gold Lane Road in Hurlock lies the Prospect Heights apartment building, a low income housing unit that’s been standing since the 1970s. But, thanks to more than $335,000 in tax credits and $600,000 in program funds from the Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development (DHCD), Searfoss Development is giving these homes a proper rebuild from the inside-out.

“We’re not trying to change layouts or change unit count or anything like that. But what we really are do is modernizing and replacing everything within the project,” said Grant Searfoss, Vice President of the contracting company. “It’s a really great partnership between private developers and the state of Maryland, where, you know, in return for those tax credits, we promise to keep it affordable and ensure the longevity of affordability in a community like this.”

The work on Prospect Heights is the result of a DHCD initiative from 2023 to give smaller developers contracts in order to further combat Maryland’s housing shortage, especially in more rural areas like the outskirts of Hurlock. Homes like these are now able to stay in the hands of people who otherwise might not keep them.

“It supports access to jobs, health care, education, and it helps sustain local communities,” says Construction Management Officer Gaurav Kapoor. “Without affordable options, residents are pushed out, community shrink, and essential workers can’t live where they’re needed. So communities like this ensure no one is left behind.”

With the finishing touches being made on the first units at Prospect Heights, both the developer and DHCD are excited about creating a brand new neighborhood that will stand for decades in Dorchester County. The project is expected to be complete by mid-summer of this year.