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New Video Series Premieres Highlighting Neighborhood BusinessWorks Investment
New Video Series Premieres Highlighting Neighborhood BusinessWorks Investment
Program has provided more than $40 million to small businesses during Hogan administration
NEW CARROLlTON, MD (December 19, 2019) – The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development launched a new promotional video series highlighting projects supported by the Neighborhood BusinessWorks program. The new videos present testimonials from business owners and developers who received funding about their positive experiences with the program. Neighborhood BusinessWorks provides gap financing to small businesses located in Priority Funding Areas and Opportunity Zones across Maryland.
“Small businesses create jobs and contribute significantly to Maryland’s positive economic growth. That’s why one of Governor Larry Hogan’s top priorities is establishing and fostering a business-friendly climate in our great state,” said Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Kenneth C. Holt. “Since 2015, Neighborhood BusinessWorks has roughly tripled the amount of small businesses it assists on a yearly basis, and we hope these new videos educate and encourage new and expanding businesses to explore the program’s flexible and proven financing.”
Recently, Governor Hogan announced that Neighborhood BusinessWorks surpassed the milestone of more than $40 million in lending to over 170 small businesses since January 2015. The program was instrumental in aiding small business recovery following the 2016 and 2018 historic flooding in Ellicott City. Other recent loans have assisted biotechnology companies, restaurants, and retail establishments. The first videos in the new promotional series highlight two Baltimore businesses: the Lillie May Carroll Jackson Charter School and Union Collective.
Lillie May Carroll Jackson Charter School – https://youtu.be/rTG8EKGibzg
Opened in 2015, the Lillie May Carroll Jackson Charter School is an all-girls, public charter, middle school in Baltimore. The school was created through a unique public-private partnership between Roland Park Country School and the Baltimore City school system. Named after the African American activist, civil rights leader, and director of the Maryland National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Lillie May Carroll Jackson Charter School offers a supportive 21st century learning environment providing rigorous academic course work, character development, and leadership opportunities. Neighborhood BusinessWorks gap financing supported acquisition and construction of the school building.
Union Collective – https://youtu.be/T3AhAvJSO0A and https://youtu.be/gDV_Rjh6tKc
After five years powered by a great product and passionate customers, Union Craft Brewing had outgrown their facility in Baltimore’s Woodberry neighborhood. Less than a mile away, Union found their ideal location, a gigantic warehouse near both public transportation and the interstate. After securing financing through the Neighborhood BusinessWorks program, they partnered with six like-minded businesses to transform the repurposed warehouse and create Union Collective, a modern day maker center. Anchored by Union’s production brewery and taproom, Union Collective and its local businesses are reinvigorating manufacturing in Baltimore with a thoughtful, civic-minded approach that supports the local community.
For more information about Neighborhood BusinessWorks, including information on how small businesses can apply, visit https://dhcd.maryland.gov/Business/.
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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Owen McEvoy, Director of the Office of Public Information
owen.mcevoy@maryland.gov, 443-679-7653
Sara Luell, Director of Communications
sara.luell@maryland.gov, 301-429-7803
Governor Hogan Announces Homelessness Prevention Awards for Carroll, Cecil, and Charles Counties
Governor Hogan Announces Homelessness Prevention Awards for Carroll, Cecil, and Charles Counties
$1.4 Million Awarded For Three Counties
ANNAPOLIS, MD (December 16, 2019) — Governor Larry Hogan today announced $1.4 million to assist Maryland’s homelessness prevention efforts through the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG).
“We have made significant progress to reduce homelessness in Maryland by enhancing the way we administer essential resources to those in need, and by partnering with dedicated programs and organizations across our state,” said Governor Hogan. “Our administration will continue working hard to ensure the safety and security of our most vulnerable citizens.”
The department is awarding grants to nonprofits in three different counties to support their fight against homelessness, including:
- Family and Children’s Services of Central Maryland (Carroll County): $800,000 to construct a 10,000-square-foot addition onto a building in Westminster, which will include a shelter for victims of elder abuse and domestic violence and offices for case management, counseling, and operations.
- Meeting Ground, Inc. (Cecil County): $376,656 to hire staff to implement a coordinated point of entry for persons needing services and for as-needed emergency sheltering.
- Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Washington, Inc. (Charles County): $200,000 to hire staff to serve persons living in their newly constructed shelter in Waldorf.
“Thanks to Governor Hogan’s commitment, we have seen a historic reduction in homelessness throughout our state,” said Maryland Housing Secretary Kenneth C. Holt. “These awards will help counties sustain this momentum as winter approaches and there is greater need for resources.”
Earlier this year, Governor Hogan announced that overall homelessness has been reduced by more than 9% since 2017, according to data from the 2019 Point-in-Time Count. The number of chronically homeless individuals dropped by nearly 15% and veterans experiencing homelessness declined by nearly 9%. Conducted by the state’s 16 designated Continuums of Care and supported by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, the Point-in-time Count is a count and survey of homeless persons on a single night in January by local homelessness service providers.
In Fiscal Year 2020, the state’s housing department allocated nearly $7.8 million in CDBG funding by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. In addition to the homelessness awards, CDBG funding is being used for previously announced community development and infrastructure projects and special projects across the state.
For more information on Maryland’s homelessness reduction initiatives, visit: https://dhcd.maryland.gov/HomelessServices/.
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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Owen McEvoy, Director of the Office of Public Information
owen.mcevoy@maryland.gov, 443-679-7653
Sara Luell, Director of Communications
sara.luell@maryland.gov, 301-429-7803
Fiscal Year 2020 Maryland Housing Counseling Fund Awards Announced
Fiscal Year 2020 Maryland Housing Counseling Fund Awards Announced
More than $2 million awarded to 40 organizations in 16 jurisdictions
NEW CARROLLTON, MD (December 3, 2019) – The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development announced more than $2 million in Fiscal Year 2020 awards through the Maryland Housing Counseling Fund. These awards will support 40 nonprofit and local government organizations that provide housing counseling services including homebuyer education, pre-purchase counseling and financial capability coaching; as well as, counseling and legal assistance to avoid foreclosure. Funds may also be used by these organizations to increase operational capacity to serve more clients.
“A family’s home is their most important asset, and housing counseling helps ensure that potential and current homeowners are educated and empowered to make informed decisions about purchasing or preserving that home,” said Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Kenneth C. Holt. “We will continue to support the members of our statewide housing counseling network and other partners who work tirelessly to increase financial literacy and provide thoughtful and responsive foreclosure mitigation services.”
The department awarded nearly $1.5 million to 33 organizations that are members of the State of Maryland’s network of housing counseling agencies. The majority of these organizations are also approved and certified by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and they provide critical counseling services to assist new homebuyers and homeowners facing foreclosure. These services often include educating clients on the home buying process and working with them to improve their credit and reduce their debt. Counselors also assist clients facing foreclosure by advocating on their behalf with mortgage servicers to achieve a positive outcome.
Six legal service providers received $460,000 in support to assist homeowners in underserved rural areas of the state, as well as Baltimore City and Prince George’s County which continue to experience high foreclosure activity. These funds include a $200,000 award to Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service, one of the largest providers of pro bono civil legal services to low-income Marylanders. This award will enable the organization to continue its successful “My Home, My Deed, My Legacy” public awareness campaign to educate Maryland residents – especially low-income residents of Baltimore City – about the importance of estate planning and the critical need to confirm their name is on the deed to their property to ensure legal ownership and the ability to pass their home on to other family members.
The Community Development Network of Maryland received $64,000 to support the organization’s ongoing activities to increase the capacity of the network of housing counseling agencies, strengthen partnership and collaboration between members, and raise awareness of the free services available to Maryland homeowners. The department also awarded $10,000 to support the BlueHub SUN program, a national nonprofit foreclosure prevention program, which has helped over 1,000 families avoid foreclosure since 2009 by purchasing foreclosed properties before residents are evicted and then reselling these homes to the homeowner with a mortgage they can afford.
For a list of Fiscal Year 2020 Maryland Housing Counseling Fund awardees, visit https://dhcd.maryland.gov/Documents/MHFEC/FY20MHCFAwards.pdf. For more information about the program, visit https://dhcd.maryland.gov/Pages/MHFEC/.
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HELP Veterans Village Receives National Award
HELP Veterans Village was recently named the Special Needs Housing Project of the Year by Affordable Housing Finance Magazine. Developed through a partnership between the VA Maryland Health Care System, the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, HELP USA, Cecil County, and the Town of Perryville, HELP Veterans Village provides housing for at-risk and formerly homeless veterans in the village area of the Perry Point VA Medical Center. The department provided nearly $19 million in financing for this vital project that has contributed to the reduction of veterans homelessness in Maryland.
Housing for homeless veterans at HELP Veterans Village near the Perry Point VA Medical Center.
Located just outside of the Town of Perryville in Cecil County, HELP Veterans Village features 75 newly renovated and newly constructed homes located in the village area of the Perry Point Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center. The Village was awarded 75 Project Based VA Supportive Housing Vouchers from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Veterans Affairs, which are administered by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. These vouchers provide subsidized rent for all the homes in the Village to support at-risk and formerly homeless veterans and their family members. These veterans and their families receive safe, stable, energy-efficient housing located near the full range of VA support programs and services provided by the medical center, as well as convenient access to local transportation resources. The Village also achieves net zero-energy consumption thanks to a 4-acre, 420-kW solar-array field that feeds back into the power grid.
The selection of HELP Veterans Village for this award highlights Maryland’s ongoing efforts to support local veterans. Earlier this year, Governor Larry Hogan proclaimed 2019 as the Year of the Veteran in Maryland to recognize the state’s 380,000 veterans for their service and raise awareness of the unique challenges they still bravely face, including homelessness. HELP Veterans Village has contributed to the reduction of veterans homelessness in the state. Based on data from the 2019 Point-in-Time Count, the number of veterans experiencing homelessness declined by 8.58% compared to 2017 data. Conducted by the state’s 16 designated Continuums of Care and supported by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, the Point-in-Time Count is a count and survey of homeless persons on a single night in January by local homelessness service providers that serves as a snapshot of the scope and scale of homelessness in Maryland’s communities.
Department financing for HELP Veterans Village was provided through a variety of resources, including short-term and long-term bonds, 4% Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, a Rental Housing Works loan, and energy efficiency funds. The department’s Community Legacy program also provided funding to the Town of Perryville to upgrade the wastewater treatment plant system to support the creation of the Village. Additional financing for the development came from philanthropic support from the Home Depot Foundation, the Citi Foundation and Northrop Grumman. The Village’s sponsor is HELP Development Corporation, the development arm of HELP USA, a national homeless service and low-income housing nonprofit.
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Governor Hogan Awards More Than $30 Million in Neighborhood Revitalization Funds
Governor Hogan Awards More Than $30 Million in Neighborhood Revitalization Funds
Five Programs Provide Support for 181 Projects in 23 Jurisdictions
ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan today announced more than $30 million in Fiscal Year 2020 neighborhood revitalization program awards. Grants from the Community Legacy program, the Strategic Demolition Fund, the Baltimore Regional Neighborhood Initiative, the National Capital Strategic Economic Development Fund, and the Seed Community Development Anchor Institution Fund will support 181 projects in 23 jurisdictions across Maryland and are anticipated to leverage more than $600 million in private and nonprofit sector funds.
All five revitalization programs are managed by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development and support business expansion and retention; streetscape improvements; homeownership and home rehabilitation incentives; commercial improvement programs; mixed-use development, and strategic demolition.
“These awards are about creating economic growth, new jobs, and improving communities for all Marylanders,” said Governor Hogan. “Our administration is proud to support such a diverse slate of important projects that will truly change Maryland for the better.”
Considered one of the state’s most flexible revitalization programs, Community Legacy awarded $6 million to 58 projects in designated Sustainable Communities throughout Maryland. Among others, these include rehabilitation of historic buildings in Frederick County, development of a co-working space in Harford County, and a park overlook in Somerset County.
The Strategic Demolition Fund awarded $5.5 million to 21 projects, including a mixed-use redevelopment in an Opportunity Zone next to Frostburg State University in Allegany County, infrastructure improvements at the Chestertown Business Campus in Kent County, and a community center in Wicomico County.
“Each of these projects makes a huge impact in their communities,” said Secretary Kenneth C. Holt. “With diligent allocation of our neighborhood revitalization resources in response to unique local needs, we are strengthening neighborhoods across the state.”
The Baltimore Regional Neighborhood Initiative and the National Capital Strategic Economic Development Fund, programs designed to support redevelopment in communities within the Baltimore and Capital Beltways, awarded $12.575 million to 80 projects and $4 million to 18 projects, respectively. Projects include property rehabilitation in Anne Arundel County, homeownership incentives in Baltimore City neighborhoods, a community family life center in Baltimore County, and facade improvements in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.
The Seed Community Development Anchor Institution Fund provides grants and loans to anchor institutions for community development projects in blighted areas of the state. To be eligible for a grant or loan, an institute of higher education or a hospital must provide evidence of matching funds from a private source. The Seed fund awarded $2.5 million to four projects including the Sinai Hospital Center of Hope, a new facility that will house multiple partner agencies responsible for a variety of violence prevention and intervention programs, and a pedestrian/bike trail at MedStar Harbor Hospital in Baltimore City.
For a full list of award winners, visit https://governor.maryland.gov/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/2019-NR-Awards-List_Final.pdf.
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owen.mcevoy@maryland.gov, 443-679-7653
sara.luell@maryland.gov, 301-429-7803
Consumer Alert: Attorney General Warns Marylanders About “Community Development Block Grant” Scam
Read the consumer alert here: http://www.marylandattorneygeneral.gov/press/2019/111319.pdf
Notice: Request for Applications for Maternal Opioid Misuse (MOM) Program
Notice: Request for Applications for Maternal Opioid Misuse (MOM) Program
The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (the Department) seeks qualified and experienced local governments and non-profits to apply for capital funding for the Maternal Opioid Misuse (MOM) Program to develop Supportive Housing for Mothers with Substance Abuse Disorders. The RFA will be posted on the Department’s website at the following location:
https://dhcd.maryland.gov/HousingDevelopment/Pages/FinancingPrograms.aspx
Direct link to RFA PDF:
https://dhcd.maryland.gov/HousingDevelopment/Documentsstghp/RFA.pdf
Proposals must be received by the Department no later than Wednesday, January 15, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. Three (3) copies of the application should be submitted in separate binders along with a zip drive including a file attachment of the application.
The Department will host an information session for interested local governments and non-profits on Wednesday, November 6, at 11:00 a.m. The session will provide specific details about the MOM program as well as a question and answer session. Written questions should be sent to rfa.dhcd@maryland.gov by no later than December 31, 2019. Answers to questions will be responded to as received.
Information Session:
Time: 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Location: Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development
7800 Harkins Road
Lanham, Maryland 20706
Conference Rooms 201-203
Contact Information:
Shannon Lee
Special Assistant – Community Development Administration
Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development
7800 Harkins Road
Lanham, Maryland 20706
301-429-7648
Dayna Harris
Group Home Program Manager – Community Development Administration
7800 Harkins Road
Lanham, Maryland 20706
301-429-7845
General Information:
Governor Hogan Announces $40 Million in Support to New and Expanding Small Businesses
Governor Hogan Announces $40 Million in Support to New and Expanding Small Businesses
Neighborhood BusinessWorks Lending Program Hits Milestone With Loan to Ministry of Brewing in Baltimore City
For immediate release:
October 30, 2019
ANNAPOLIS, MD—Governor Larry Hogan today announced that the State of Maryland has surpassed the milestone of more than $40 million in lending to over 170 small businesses through the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s Neighborhood BusinessWorks program since January 2015. Neighborhood BusinessWorks provides gap financing to new and expanding small businesses located in Priority Funding Areas and Opportunity Zones across the state.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and helping small business owners succeed is a priority,” said Governor Hogan. “Through Neighborhood BusinessWorks, we are able to help great ideas become actual, brick-and-mortar businesses that contribute to the economic development of Maryland’s great cities and towns.”
The program achieved the milestone this summer through a loan to Ministry of Brewing. The project involves converting a desanctified former church in Southeast Baltimore into a 15,000-square-foot brewpub. The brewery is expected to open later this year.
Neighborhood BusinessWorks was also instrumental in aiding small business recovery following the 2016 and 2018 historic flooding in Ellicott City. Other recent loans have assisted biotechnology companies, restaurants, and retail establishments.
“We have been aggressively growing the Neighborhood BusinessWorks program over the last few years,” said Housing Secretary Kenneth C. Holt. “Prior to 2015, the department was helping on average just about a dozen businesses a year; we have nearly tripled that and will continue to work to help small businesses and create more jobs.”
For more information about Neighborhood BusinessWorks, including information on how small businesses can apply, visit https://dhcd.maryland.gov/Business/.
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MEDIA CONTACTS:
Owen McEvoy, Director of the Office of Public Information, owen.mcevoy@maryland.gov, 443-679-7653
Sara Luell, Director of Communications, sara.luell@maryland.gov, 301-429-7803
Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Conducts Largest Bond Issuance in the Agency’s History
Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Conducts Largest Bond Issuance in the Agency’s History
NEW CARROLLTON, Md. (October 23, 2019) – Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Secretary Kenneth C. Holt announced that the department conducted the largest mortgage revenue bond issuance in the history of the agency. The department’s bond-issuing entity, the Community Development Administration, issued more than $347 million under the Residential Revenue Bond program. Proceeds of the bond sales through that program are primarily used to finance mortgage loans to first-time homebuyers through the state’s Maryland Mortgage Program.
“Under Governor Hogan’s leadership, the state has expanded its portfolio of mortgage products and down payment and closing cost assistance available through the Maryland Mortgage Program, including the nationally-recognized Maryland SmartBuy program which empowers first-time homebuyers to eliminate their student loan debt while purchasing a home,” said Secretary Holt. “The majority of the Maryland Mortgage Program’s resources come from the sale of these types of bonds, not the state’s budget, so this highly successful program is funded and managed with virtually no cost to Maryland’s taxpayers.”
This historic issuance received an overwhelming response from bond investors in part due to the Community Development Administration’s solid credit rating and the high level of expertise provided by the department’s bond portfolio management team. The issuance received over $1.2 billion in investor orders, with more than 27 percent of filled orders coming from Maryland and national retail investors. The tax-exempt interest rates achieved through this bond sale will enable the department to continue to offer Maryland Mortgage Program loans at below market interest rates, providing annual savings to program homebuyers.
The Maryland Mortgage Program has been the state’s flagship homeownership program for more than 35 years, providing fixed-rate mortgages along with down payment and closing cost incentives. From 2015 through 2018 – over the period of Governor Hogan’s first term, the Maryland Mortgage Program assisted more than 9,900 homebuyers with mortgages valued at over $2.3 billion and over $49.5 million in down payment assistance. For more information about the Maryland Mortgage Program and its newest initiatives including Maryland SmartBuy, visit http://mmp.maryland.gov.
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sara.luell@maryland.gov, 301-429-7803
Legal Notice: Notice of Public Hearing – Residential Rental Housing Projects
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING CONCERNING ISSUANCE OF BONDS OR OTHER OBLIGATIONS TO FINANCE RESIDENTIAL RENTAL HOUSING PROJECTS
The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, will conduct a public hearing at 12:00 pm, on Friday October 18, 2019 concerning issuance of bonds or other obligations to finance residential rental housing projects. For more information, visit: https://dhcd.maryland.gov/Documents/TEFRA/2019/Notice-10-01.pdf
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- Hogan Administration Announces $700,000 Community Development Block Grant to Allegany County; Matching $750,000 Federal Hazard Mitigation Grant
- Hogan Administration Announces First State Housing Finance Bond Rating Upgrade in 40 Years
- Video Release: Governor Hogan Celebrates Groundbreaking for Lexington Market Redevelopment
- Governor Hogan Announces Record Milestone of $1 Billion in Mortgages Through Maryland Mortgage Program in 2019
- Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Releases Fiscal Year 2019 Annual Report
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