Today, the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) announced roughly $6.2 million in Community Development Block Grant awards. Below is the press release:
Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development Announces Community Development Block Grant Awards to Sixteen Municipalities and Counties
Approximately $6.2 million in funding to go to projects in Southern, Western Maryland and on the Eastern Shore
CROWNSVILLE, MD (August 19, 2011) – Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Secretary Raymond A. Skinner announced today that $6,230,000 in Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) have been awarded to 17 projects around the State. The selected projects leveraged $44,395,480 in other funds. Awards and projects include: $60,000 to the City of Crisfield in Somerset County for rehabilitation of the City Dock; $375,000 to provide downpayment assistance to low and moderate income homebuyers purchasing a foreclosed or vacant property in Waldorf, Charles County, and; $600,000 to repair sewer lines serving Mt. Savage in Allegany County. A detailed list of awardees is at the bottom of this press release.
“Part of the foundation for great communities is basic infrastructure, like water and sewer service, road improvements, and central community buildings and resources,” said Secretary Skinner. “The CDBG program supports those kinds of projects, and it also can be used to encourage housing rehabilitation and homeownership, making it an extremely versatile tool to revitalize Maryland’s cities and towns.”
The CDBG program enables local governments to undertake a wide range of activities intended to create suitable living environments, provide decent affordable housing and create economic opportunities, primarily for persons of low and moderate income. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) oversees the program and Congress allocates funds to the program annually. Maryland’s CDBG Program is administered by the DHCD.
The CDBG Program provides federal funds in two ways. The Entitlement Program distributes funds to large metropolitan communities, also known as “entitlement” communities. In Maryland entitlement jurisdictions include the following:
Counties: Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Harford, Howard, Montgomery and Prince George’s.
Cities: Annapolis, Baltimore, Cumberland, Frederick, Hagerstown and Salisbury.
CDBG’s States and Small Cities Program directs funding to state governments, which then distribute funds to “non-entitlement” counties, small cities and towns. Since the start of the O’Malley-Brown Administration, DHCD has awarded more than $65 million in CDBG funds.
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The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development works with partners to finance housing opportunities and revitalize great places for Maryland citizens to live, work and prosper. To learn more about DHCD programs, log on to www.mdhousing.org.
News updates also are available by following DHCD on Twitter (www.twitter.com/MDHousing) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/marylandhousing).
MARYLAND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM
SFY 2012 Approved Projects
Eastern Shore
Applicant: Town of Berlin (Worcester County)
Description: Upgrades of the Waste Water Treatment Plant with the construction of a new lagoon and spray irrigation system.
Amount: $600,000
Applicant: City of Crisfield (Somerset County)
Description: Rehabilitation of the City Dock, including the reconstruction of the loading dock, passenger terminal and parking lot.
Amount: $60,000
Applicant: City of Crisfield (Somerset County)
Description: Property acquisition for the placement of a wind turbine which will provide power to the waste water plant in an effort to reduce costs.
Amount: $540,000
Applicant: Town of Greensboro (Caroline County)
Description: Property acquisition and engineering for the construction of new waste water plant as the first phase of the development of the North Caroline Waste Water System.
Amount: $600,000
Applicant: City of Pocomoke City (Worcester County)
Description: Continuation of the City’s housing rehabilitation program which benefits low and moderate income homeowners.
Amount: $250,000
Applicant: Town of Princess Anne (Somerset County)
Description: Repaving of Progress Street.
Amount: $80,000
Applicant: Town of Snow Hill (Worcester County)
Description: Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrades.
Amount: $600,000
Applicant: Somerset County
Description: Design and renovation of a portion of the former Westover Elementary School into a Senior Center.
Amount: $600,000
Applicant: Wicomico County
Description: Continuation of the countywide housing rehabilitation program which will benefit low and moderate income homeowners.
Amount: $300,000
Applicant: Worcester County
Description: Continuation of the countywide housing rehabilitation program which will benefit low and moderate income homeowners.
Amount: $300,000
Southern Maryland
Applicant: Charles County
Description: Downpayment assistance to low and moderate income homebuyers for the purchase of foreclosed and vacant homes in the Waldorf zip code 20602, which has been impacted by foreclosures.
Amount: $375,000
Western Maryland
Applicant: Town of Accident (Garrett County)
Description: Construction of a new water well to replace the current source which has tested positive for unhealthy levels of arsenic.
Amount: $295,000
Applicant: Allegany County
Description: Rehabilitation and repair of 8,600 linear feet of sewer line in Mt. Savage which serves 450 homes.
Amount: $600,000
Applicant: City of Frostburg (Allegany County)
Description: Separation of combined sanitary and storm sewer lines along Mechanic and Aspinal Streets.
Amount: $500,000
Applicant: Town of Lonaconing (Allegany County)
Description: Installation of emergency generators at the water treatment plants which serve 1,700 households through a regional water system.
Amount: $265,000
Applicant: Town of Midland (Allegany County)
Description: Study which would evaluate a building, determine its historical significance and evaluate potential uses if it cannot be demolished.
Amount: $35,000
Applicant: Town of Union Bridge (Carroll County)
Description: Improvements on West Broadway Street, including replacing water and sanitary sewer lines, curbs, sidewalks and fire hydrants.
Amount: $230,000
TOTAL AWARDS: $6,230,000
For more information:
Jacqueline Lampell
Director, Office of Communications and Marketing
410-514-7704
lampell@mdhousing.org
Rosa Cruz
Deputy Director, Office of Communications and Marketing
410-514-7712
cruz@mdhousing.org
Andy DeVilbiss
410-514-7710
devilbiss@mdhousing.org