BERLIN – Nearly $700,000 in neighborhood revitalization grants will benefit agencies in Worcester and Wicomico counties.
Last week, Gov. Larry Hogan 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,” Hogan said. “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.
In Worcester County, four agencies received a combined $370,000 in Community Legacy awards.
The Ocean City Development Corporation received $55,000 for its Façade Improvement Program and $55,000 for its Green Building Initiatives Program, while the City of Pocomoke also received $55,000 for its Downtown Businesses Assistance Program and $50,000 to repair a damaged HVAC system at the Marva Theater. In Snow Hill, the town received $55,000 for its Commercial Building Improvement Program, and the Worcester County Commissioners received $100,000 to purchase a track mobile that will move freight cars coming to the feed mill.
In Wicomico County, the City of Salisbury received $100,000 in Community Legacy funding to support the costs of hosting the National Folk Festival, while the Wicomico County Housing Authority received $125,000 to demolish two buildings at the Booth Street housing project.
The state’s Strategic Demolition Fund awarded $5.5 million to 21 projects, including $50,000 for an All-Purpose Community Center in Sharptown and $50,000 for the Neighborhood Intervention Program in Salisbury.
