Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Announces Long Branch as Newest Designated Main Street Maryland Community
NEW CARROLLTON, MD (January 21, 2026) – Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Jake Day announced today that Long Branch has been selected as the newest Designated Main Street Maryland community.
Long Branch becomes the latest Designated Main Street Maryland community, the highest tier in the Main Street Maryland program. As the official coordinating program for Maryland by the National Main Street Center, the program is housed at DHCD and focuses on strengthening Maryland’s downtown commercial districts through local investment and revitalization. Main Street Maryland has been transforming communities across the state since 1998.
“I’ve had the pleasure of visiting Long Branch and I’ve seen how much it has to offer the people of Montgomery County,” said Secretary Jake Day. “The Designated Main Street Maryland community status means Long Branch has the support of the Main Street Maryland Program and the Department to achieve its full potential as a thriving, lovable place for businesses and residents.”
Designated Main Streets are the top-tier programs with the National Main Street Center in the Main Street Maryland program. These communities use the full Main Street ApproachTM to support long-term, local revitalization. Designated communities show a strong commitment to economic development, preserving local historic and cultural resources, building inclusive volunteer support and partnerships and raising financial and in-kind support from local government and other partners.
Long Branch, located between downtown Silver Spring and Takoma Park, has a distinctive family-friendly feel and features many locally-owned eateries and shops which have been in business for decades, public art on every street corner that captures the spirit and diversity of the community and lively community events which attract locals and visitors alike.
In the near future, Long Branch will be home to a Purple Line Metro station stop, enabling even more people to experience what makes Long Branch so special.
“Maryland Main Streets represent some of the strongest and most vibrant business districts that Maryland has to offer. So to have the Long Branch community of Silver Spring included in this company is a humbling recognition of the work that Montgomery Housing Partnership (MHP) has put into revitalizing Long Branch,” said Chris Gillis, Director of Policy & Neighborhood Development for Montgomery Housing Partnership. “We are constantly inspired by the successes of other Maryland Main Streets, and this designation will serve as further motivation for us as we seek to help Long Branch achieve its full economic potential.”
Additionally, Towson and Snow Hill were accepted into Main Street Maryland’s Aspiring Tier. Aspiring Main Streets are those that have been working in the Main Street ApproachTM and are ready to pursue full designation. Aspiring Tier designees must complete a required two-year training program offered by Main Street Maryland in order to apply for full designation, which aims to support them in achieving accreditation with the National Main Street Center.
Additional information about the Main Street Maryland program and the communities it supports can be found at mainstreetmaryland.org.
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