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Brunswick and IHA Have a Long History of Partnership and Progress and it is still going strong!

Carol Riggles • May 31, 2022

Brunswick and IHA Have a Long History of Partnership and Progress and it is still going strong!

IHA began its venture into the Mutual Self-Help Homeownership Program, financed by USDA Rural Development and guided by NCALL (National Council on Agricultural Life & Labor Research Fund, Inc.), with our Mountain View Homes community in Brunswick, MD that provided homeownership opportunities to low-income families in the 1990’s. 



The Mountain View Homes community joined families together with the shared goal of creating a better future for themselves and future generations.  They worked together for months to build their homes, providing 65% of the labor required to make their dream affordable.  Twenty-two new homes were built with much love and hard work and six of them are still owned by those who helped to build them.  The rest have provided an additional 31 families the opportunity of homeownership. 


Although Interfaith Housing Alliance is committed to providing housing solutions of nearly every kind, its flagship programs have been geared to homeownership. These programs follow the mission of the organization to build community and to strengthen the economic stability of seniors, working families and individuals. 


Homeownership represents the ultimate investment, building wealth through home equity to ensure economic security and gaining a strong sense of belonging to a community through ownership. 


IHA’s Purchase Repair Homeownership Program, offered in Carroll, Frederick and Washington counties, continues our long relationship with Brunswick.  Through help from IHA’s homeownership and financial counseling, 14 more families have become first-time homebuyers in Brunswick. 



Brunswick is a wonderful place to call home.  Known for its railroad and canal heritage, abundant outdoor recreational opportunities, new and vintage affordable homes, quaint shops and eateries, Brunswick proclaims itself to be a big town with small city ambiance and a friendly atmosphere. 


IHA is also pleased to announce that a new mixed-income rental community, The Residences at Railroad Square, is on its way, combining historic restoration along with new construction.  Amenities will include secure parking, elevator access, fitness center, pocket parks, community multi-purpose rooms and rooftop patio.  The addition of these 45 apartments will contribute greatly to the growth and success of the many small Mom & Pop businesses in downtown Brunswick. 



Also included will be The Shoppes at Railroad Square which will add approximately 15,000 square feet of retail/office space. The space will be a combination of new construction and renovated ground level retail in the adjacent Mommer’s Building, a prominent historic landmark located at the intersection of Potomac Street and Maple Avenue, directly across from Brunswick’s City Hall. The renovation of this 3-story building will include ground level retail space and 3 affordable apartments on the upper level. 


Other components of the project include the restoration and adaptive reuse of the historic Brunswick Train Station for community and cultural uses, several pocket parks and green space areas for community events and seasonal activities and surface parking lot that will provide additional parking for Railroad Square and community events. 

Gary Free resident at Residences at Railroad Square Apartments

March 3, 2025
Gary Free grew up in Brunswick, MD. The first time he saw the Residences at Railroad Square, he knew he would love to live in the apartments. Now all he can think to himself is, “I am living here!” Gary said the day he signed his lease he was so happy! He has a picture hanging in his apartment that says, “You’re Home.” Gary looks at it often and says to himself, “I am!” He finally feels at peace. Gary feels his home is nice! He also feels one of the ways of living at Residences of Railroad Square is that he now has everything he ever wanted, asked for and needed. The only thing he feels is a concern is that most of the time he gets lonely. His goal is to try to meet people. He says, “I’m a very friendly person.” Gary says his experience living at the Residences at Railroad Square has been rather good. If he has any concerns he can talk to the office staff. He feels it can’t get any better than this!

Lease-up of Residence of Railroad Square

By Crystal Thomas • March 3, 2025
With excitement and anticipation, I watched the groundbreaking on June 29, 2023, with my assistant Vickie and IHA’s Supportive Services coordinator, Sandi. By the middle of September 2023 concrete walls were being set up. We watched as the roof was completed; then the windows and doors were installed. We impatiently waited for the day we received permission to see the inside of the Residences of Railroad Square property. Finally, on September 25, 2024, we had the privilege to tour the inside of this beautiful property. On the weekend of September 27, 2024, the IHA property management team along with the CEO Jodie, held a two-day in-person application event. The owners of First Stop Brunswick generously donated their space at 2. E. Baltimore Street. That lease up kick off generated 56 applications. Over the next three months, ninety more applications were submitted. Each applicant came with their own story which stirred our hearts. No matter how different their stories may have been, they all had the same wish, a place to call home for Christmas! On November 5, 2024, the first resident signed their lease and on December 23, 2024, the last empty unit was filled! Not only were we able to fulfill these residents' Christmas wishes but it also filled our hearts with joy!

Interfaith Housing Alliance (IHA) is proud to announce 4 funding awards received this quarter from community partners.

March 3, 2025
In November 2024, IHA was awarded a $20,000 grant from Delaplaine Foundation, Inc. This grant supports IHA’s three workshop series: Credit Café ; Financial Freedom Bootcamp ; and Ready, Set, Go… Home! In Credit Café, participants work specifically on improving their credit. Financial Freedom Bootcamp builds critical foundational skills for financial success. Ready, Set, Go… Home! walks participants through the entire homebuying process from start to finish. IHA also received a $1,574.37 designated grant from The PNC Homeownership Fund of The Community Foundation of Frederick County. These pass-through funds will directly support low- to moderate-income (LMI) households in achieving homeownership in Frederick County. In December 2024, IHA was awarded a $29,498 grant from the Maryland Affordable Housing Trust (MAHT). MAHT is administered by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) through the Division of Neighborhood Revitalization. This grant program is a valuable resource for the advancement of affordable housing initiatives and will provide operational assistance to IHA’s affordable multifamily community in Cumberland, MD. In January 2025, IHA was awarded a $2,500 grant by The Natelli Communities Charitable Fund of The Community Foundation of Frederick County. These unrestricted funds will support IHA’s work across the multiple counties served by our programs and affordable rental communities.
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