Housing, Economic Development the Focus of DHCD Day Trips Tour to Howard County

Affordable housing, supporting community main streets and digital equity the focus of visits to Ellicott City and Columbia

COLUMBIA, Md. – Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day spent the day in Howard County in the latest stop of the department’s Day Trips tour series.

The county-wide visits, which started this fall, allow for Secretary Day other DHCD staff to connect directly with residents and business owners, along with county and municipal leaders directly. These day-long trips focus on how the department can help counties and municipalities in the areas of housing, community and economic development, small business support and more. 

“Howard County and its leadership has shown its willingness to tackle the area’s housing and business challenges head-on,” said Maryland Department of Housing and Community Secretary Jake Day. “DHCD works best when it supports the community vision created by those who live and work there. By learning from Howard County’s leaders, business owners and residents today, we will ensure those visions come true as we make this Maryland’s decade.”

“It is a pleasure to welcome Secretary Day back to Howard County, as we recently had the opportunity to come together to announce the County’s new comprehensive Housing Opportunities Meant for Everyone, or HOME, package,” said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball. “Partnerships, such as with Secretary Day and his team, are vital in our mission to address housing challenges, improve housing affordability and stability, and protect tenant rights in Howard County, and for all Marylanders. I look forward to showing Secretary Day around Howard County and sharing all that makes it such a great place to call home, as well as discussing more about what we can do together to make it even better to live, work, play, grow, and thrive for all.”

From FY2020 to FY2023, DHCD has been able to provide $170 million to support Howard County in several ways, including approximately $12.6 million for affordable housing.

Secretary Day and other DHCD staff were able to see the impact of those investments in person Thursday, with two roundtable discussions focused on housing and digital equality. Other parts of the day were spent across Howard County, including a visit to the Merriweather District in Columbia.

Thursday’s tour in Howard County was the last of 2023. Somerset County will be the first stop of 2024’s Day Trips tour.

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