The first course Marcus Ervin took in real estate development, he nearly failed. An undergraduate architecture student at Morgan State University, Marcus took the course in hopes of parlaying the knowledge into a side job in the industry to earn some additional income. It was more than he expected. “The course was constructed like ‘The Apprentice’ and we were tasked with redeveloping a blighted neighborhood in east Baltimore,” Marcus, recalls laughing, “I knew nothing about project financing and had limited experience with Excel. I was the project manager, and it taught me a lot about failure.” Marcus appealed to his teacher and came through the course unscathed and with a newfound interest in real estate development. “I credit my lifelong friend/mentor Stacy Spann for taking a bet on me.” Marcus didn’t realize that his class would be presenting their development project to Mr. Spann, whom at the time was leading Baltimore Housing’s Office of Project Finance, and would ultimately become the Director at the Howard County Housing Commission.
Flash forward nearly 10 years, Marcus, who received his Master of Real Estate Development in ’09, is now a Senior Development Officer with the Howard County Housing Commission, a quasi-governmental housing authority that provides high-quality, mixed-income housing (to date, over 1900 units) for one of the wealthiest counties in Maryland. Marcus works with agencies and local stakeholders to redevelop existing assets and acquire new ones. What makes these projects special for Marcus is the value they provide to the community at-large. With his colleagues and external partners, he has created new opportunities, vibrancy and a sense of place for thousands. His second project for the agency—Burgess Mill Station, located within walking distance of Main Street Ellicott City—transformed a former 94-unit affordable housing site into a 198-unit community asset; the group worked closely with the Howard County Dept. Recreation & Parks to integrate a new LEED Silver rec center into the development. He credits his time at UMD for providing him the foundation that propels good community work. Ironically enough, Marcus’ development partner for the project is another MRED alum, Scott Link, VP of the Stavrou Companies. “I still have my old notes and assignments from my MRED days and refer back to them often,” says Marcus. “UMD taught me the strength of a collaborative effort, and valuing other’s opinions and expertise. It has given me the foundation to make an impact through my work. The concept of the ‘quadruple bottom line,’ which requires sustainability, economic viability, social responsibility and attractive architectural design in every project, is essential to what I do. When we analyze the projects we intend to develop, those concepts are at the forefront.”
The group’s most recent acquisition is a 248-unit Class-A multifamily community on the eastern border of Howard County. It is particularly notable, not just because it is the group’s newest and youngest acquisition to date, but because it was the last project Marcus worked on with his longtime colleague, Tom Carbo, before he passed away last November. Tom was particularly excited about the site; while Howard County Housing Commission traditionally purchased existing Class A & B properties—relatively older sites with good bones, yet in strategic locations—this acquisition was recently constructed and contained all the Class-A finishes within a bourgeoning mixed-use community. Following Tom’s death, the team discussed in-depth how to proceed. They persevered—and won the final bid, following an intense buyer interview process. Marcus imagines what it will mean for future modest-income families—teachers, firefighters, law enforcement—from Tom’s view, as well as his own when developing future communities in Howard County. “When my wife and I and our young son first started out, the County’s Moderate Income Housing Unit (MIHU) program, made available in new multifamily and home ownership communities helped us build the foundation for our future,” says Marcus. “It’s instrumental in creating opportunities that some neighboring jurisdictions do not have in-place.”
Marcus’ dedication to the profession stretches beyond his work for Howard County. When not at the office or home with his wife and three children, he’s working with the Neighborhood Design Center (NDC), where he serves as vice president of the Board of Directors. He also still dabbles in residential real estate to keep his skills sharp. Marcus finds himself back in the classroom occasionally, as well, only on the other side of the advising table; since 2015 he has served as a Capstone Mentor to MRED students for Maryland, an experience he finds incredibly rewarding. Marcus took first place back in the 2009 capstone competition, but he hopes his post-graduate experiences are what give his students the true edge. “Articulating the work I do on a day-to-day basis gives me the chance to step back and re-examine the industry with fresh eyes, which I strive to pass along to my students as they step into the unknown and evolving world of development,” he says, conceding that this is part of the fun. “In life, as is the case with these complex projects, you don’t have all the answers, but that’s what makes it so interesting. You’re constantly learning.”