Have you ever been turned away while walking to a nearby waterfront area by a local claiming that only neighborhood homeowners can enjoy the Chesapeake Bay?
It turns out, you have been paying for the upkeep for many, many years with your income taxes.
On June 2, 2025, special interest groups came out in force to block legislation that would increase the percentage of costs that so called “special community benefits districts” pay for County expenses when collecting and safeguarding private community funds.
It turns out that there are nearly 100 of these private groups in Anne Arundel County, who enjoy private amenities like a fancy HOA would. But the County Council has codified these special HOA groups into County law and collect dues on their behalf, conduct periodic audits, and apply for and receive special tax free State grants and loans for their private amenities.
This would be fine, so long as the communities paid for the services they hired the County to perform. Sadly, they refuse to pay, so while you skip meals at home to pay your rent this month, your tax money renovates their beach clubhouse.
I was curious. What benefits does the County supplement? The answer was shocking.
Each Special Community Benefit District has its own Section in the County Code that outlines what their special community benefit taxes will be used for. Here is an example for Franklin Manor Special Community Benefit District:
“The district is established for the purpose of the acquisition, maintenance, and improvement of real property or any interest therein to accomplish community projects, including but not limited to the construction of community piers, storage sheds, and an association building; the acquisition and maintenance of equipment necessary to maintain and improve community property, including but not limited to beaches, parks, playground areas, boat ramps, parking lots, community- owned roads, and community piers; the acquisition and maintenance of recreational equipment; providing special police protection for security and to prevent rowdyism, vandalism, and trespassing on community-owned property; and the administrative expenses necessary to accomplish these purposes, including but not limited to liability insurance for community property, audit and bonding expenses, utility expenses, postage, attorneys’ fees, and the repayment of loans obtained in order to accomplish any of the purposes of the district”.
Why are we subsidizing special police forces in gated communities while we have a shortage of County police officers to cover the serious emergencies happening every day in the rest of the County? There are another dozen special districts that list private police forces, this is not a one-off case
Why are they comfortable covering the full salaries for the private police officers, maintenance crews, and attorneys, but won’t pay the full salaries of the County treasury and finance employees they hired to collect and administer their private funds?
As it stands, the most the County can charge is 5% of collected benefit funds, up to a maximum of $2,000.00 per year for each special benefit district. The cap in the proposed Bill was $10,000.00. That may sound like a lot of money, a 500% increase. But that is split between every homeowner in the special benefit district over a full year. How much would each of them pay each month?
The County Code must also identify the parcels or addresses that are part of each special benefit district. As an example, Broadwater Creek Special Community Benefit District identifies 83 addresses. With the current cap, if they collect at least $40,000.00 in community funds for all their special beach clubs, private police, pest control, groundskeeping, etc. then they each pay a maximum of $2.01 per month to pay the County auditors and tax collectors administering the funds. If they proposed cap had gone into effect, they would have paid only $10.10 per month if they collected $200,000.00 in community private benefit funds. Testimony before the vote indicated these districts collect and enjoy over $1.7 Million in funds, way above the percentage maximum cap.
The majority of these Broadwater Creek Special Community Benefit District waterfront homes are valued on Zillow at $1 Million each. And they can afford to pay the County $10.00/month for the benefits that only they enjoy? Those 45% of cost-burdened renters have to subsidize their dream waterfront club?
Councilmembers Nathan Volke, Amanda Fiedler, Allison Pickard, Peter Smith, and Shannon Leadbetter all voted for this continued handout to the rich and powerful, failing to show courage and leadership in the face of powerful local Special Benefit interest groups.
Bill sponsor Councilmember Lisa D. B. Rodvien and Councilmember Lisa D.B. Rodvien stood up for equity against organized wealthy homeowners.
We need to vote out those Councilmembers who have such disdain and hatred for renters and aspiring homeowners, giving handouts to millionaires at their expense.
Anne Arundel NIMBY Watch 