Announces Partnership with YMCA to Launch Onsite Childcare CenterFrederick County Unveils The Heights on Himes Affordable Housing Development

FREDERICK, Md. – Frederick County Executive Jessica Fitzwater today joined the Division of Housing, elected officials, and community partners to unveil the sign for The Heights on Himes and to announce a new partnership with the YMCA of Frederick County that will launch an onsite Head Start center. This initiative marks the beginning of a major affordable housing development at the County-owned Prospect Center campus on Himes Avenue.

“Today we are marking the beginning of a project that reflects our values and our vision for the future of Frederick County,” County Executive Fitzwater said. “By bringing affordable housing, affordable child care, government services, and transit access together in one location, we are creating opportunity and helping families build a stronger future.”

Developed in partnership with Conifer Realty, The Heights on Himes is expected to bring nearly 150 affordable apartment homes to Frederick County. The project advances a key recommendation of the County’s housing needs assessment: using publicly owned land to accelerate affordable housing development and support homes affordable to a wider range of residents.

The development will also address another major pressure on family budgets: childcare. Frederick County and Conifer Realty are partnering with the YMCA of Frederick County to establish an onsite Head Start center on the building’s ground floor. The center is expected to serve approximately 88 children, and Frederick County Government will support the YMCA with the cost of outfitting the interior space to meet program needs.

Frederick County has prioritized housing affordability by establishing the Division of Housing and updating the housing needs assessment with the City of Frederick, which found that nearly one in five County households faces housing affordability challenges. Related studies show that families spend nearly 19% of household income on childcare, which is almost three times more than the federal affordability benchmark.

This project addresses these needs by connecting affordable homes with childcare, public services, and transit. Heights on Himes will be located on the Prospect Center campus, a County-owned property being transformed into a hub for government services, emergency preparedness, and community resources. It will be Frederick County’s first affordable housing development built on County-owned land.