Hogan Administration Announces Fiscal Year 2021 State Revitalization Program Awards

Hogan Administration Announces Fiscal Year 2021 State Revitalization Program Awards

More than $27 million will support 157 projects and activities

New Carrollton, MD (March 9, 2021) – Today Governor Larry Hogan announced awardees from the Fiscal Year 2021 application round for three state revitalization programs administered by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. The Community Legacy program, the Strategic Demolition Fund, and the Baltimore Regional Neighborhood Initiative will provide more than $27 million to 157 projects in 19 counties and Baltimore City that support community development and economic growth.

“Through the state’s revitalization programs, we have a comprehensive toolbox to work with local governments, nonprofits, residents and other partners to improve their communities,” said Governor Hogan. “These awards will create jobs and support Maryland’s continued economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The three programs will support revitalization and redevelopment projects and activities including: business expansion and retention; streetscape improvements; homeownership and home rehabilitation incentives; commercial improvement programs; mixed-use development, and demolition activities. This state funding is expected to leverage more than $100 million in additional public, private and nonprofit investment

Considered one of the state’s most flexible revitalization programs, Community Legacy awarded more than $6 million to 64 projects in designated Sustainable Communities throughout Maryland. Some of these projects include pedestrian streetlights to enhance downtown Chestertown (Kent County); stabilization of a historic African-American theater in Baltimore City that serves as the home for Arena Players, and; acquisition of the Cannery Building in downtown Cambridge (Dorchester County) to enhance and preserve the area which features the now world-famous “Take My Hand” mural of Harriet Tubman.

The Strategic Demolition Fund awarded more than $8 million to 11 projects, including renovation of a historic building in the City of Frederick for use by the city’s Arts Council and the community, and revitalization of the historically African-American neighborhood of Jonathan Street in the City of Hagerstown (Washington County).

The Baltimore Regional Neighborhood Initiative, designed to support redevelopment in communities within the Baltimore Beltway, awarded $13 million to 82 projects. Projects include: acquisition and renovation of vacant properties to create homeownership opportunities and eliminate blight in Baltimore City’s Cherry Hill neighborhood; funding for Black Women Build – Baltimore’s continued work along Etting Street to acquire and rehab vacant properties while teaching valuable trade skills and promoting local workforce development, and; ongoing development of the Social Settlement House in the Arlington community to increase space for after-school programs, job readiness training, and mental health and social services case management.

“These programs have a proven track record of success in cities and towns in every corner of our state,” said Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Kenneth C. Holt. “Every community we help revitalize improves the economic and cultural health of Maryland.”

A full list of the awardees is available at http://bit.ly/FY21SRPAwards. For more information about the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development and its revitalization programs, visit https://dhcd.maryland.gov/Communities/Pages/StateRevitalizationPrograms.

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