DHCD Highlights Community Revitalization in Latest Day Trip to Worcester County
Secretary Day tours local DHCD investment sites in Ocean City, Pocomoke City and Snow Hill
SNOW HILL, MD – Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day traveled across Worcester County on Wednesday to hear from local partners and learn about the needs of the area.
The visit was part of DHCD’s Day Trip tour, which started last fall as a way to directly connect with Maryland’s communities. Wednesday’s visit to the county that calls itself “Maryland’s Coast” is the 11th stop overall.
From Fiscal Year 2020 through Fiscal Year 2024, DHCD has invested more than $42 million in Worcester County for affordable housing, broadband infrastructure, community and business revitalization as well as services for homelessness support.
“We cannot learn the needs of our communities while sitting in our offices in Lanham – we must meet people where they are,” said Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day. “I’ve seen great changes in Worcester County first hand over the years but I still learned so much from today’s Day Trip. I’m confident we can continue to work together with leaders from the county and the great cities and towns of Worcester County to ensure we leave no one behind.”
“Worcester County is continually undertaking projects across a broad spectrum that together support vibrant and bustling communities, with thriving downtown commercial districts at the heart of our towns,” said Worcester County Commissioner President Chip Bertino. “We are grateful for ongoing opportunities to collaborate with Secretary Day along with other state and local partners to leverage vital grant funds to rehabilitate homes, expand and develop new parks and recreation spaces, and attract career and family-sustaining businesses.”
Earlier in the week, Secretary Day and DHCD staff toured many past and proposed investments in support of revitalization efforts in Downtown Ocean City on Monday, June 24 during the Maryland Municipal League Conference.
Secretary Day and DHCD staff first traveled to Pocomoke City to tour its downtown area, visit with town officials and see recent redevelopment projects.
Later in the day, DHCD officials traveled to Snow Hill to visit two homes being rehabilitated with funds through the department’s Special Targeted Applicant Rehabilitation Program. The STAR Program is used to preserve and improve single-family properties and designed to bring properties up to applicable building codes and standards or a minimum housing quality standard.
The day concluded with a roundtable discussion at the Snow Hill Firehouse. The meeting gave officials from Worcester County, Snow Hill, Berlin, Pocomoke City and Ocean City the opportunity to share their needs and feedback to DHCD.
During that meeting, Secretary Day presented the Town of Berlin with a ceremonial check for $3.8 million in bond financing from the department’s Local Government Infrastructure Finance Program. The full bond of $3.8 million includes a premium generated from the sale of the bonds. DHCD’s Community Development Administration administers the bonds on behalf of counties, municipalities and/or their instrumentalities to finance projects that serve the community at large, such as streetscape improvements, transportation enhancements or water and sewer treatment facilities.
The Town of Berlin will use its money for an electrical system meter replacement and upgrades and to fund the construction of a new public works facility.
The next stop in DHCD’s Day Trip series will be this summer in Harford County.
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