Community Legacy, a program of the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (the “Department”), is implemented in close coordination with local community partners and other State agencies.
Donor Name: Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development
State: Maryland
Counties: Allegany County (MD), Garrett County (MD), Somerset County (MD), Wicomico County (MD)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline (mm/dd/yyyy): 07/13/2022
Details:
Community Legacy is a tool that catalyzes new investment in older neighborhoods and business districts in support of local revitalization plans for designated Sustainable Community Areas. Community Legacy funds assist leaders from urban and suburban communities, and small towns that have a comprehensive approach to encourage community reinvestment, economic development, and resource conservation. Over time, these strategies achieve and maintain vibrant places for Marylanders to live, work and prosper.
Community Legacy provides resources to assist local governments and their nonprofit community development partners in realizing comprehensive community revitalization initiatives. It is intended as a flexible resource to fill key funding gaps not being met by other State or local financing and to position older communities for increased private investment.
Projects must be within certain eligible areas:
- Sustainable Communities
- Opportunity Zones in Allegany, Garrett, Somerset, and Wicomico Counties
Community Legacy funds support a wide range of local initiatives aimed at both attracting new residents and businesses and encouraging existing residents and businesses to remain and reinvest in a community.
Examples of revitalization activities supported in the past include, but are not limited to:
- Establishment of a revolving fund to attract home buyers to purchase and rehabilitate homes
- Programs for existing homeowners and businesses to improve their properties
- Development of mixed-use projects that may combine housing, retail, office, public and open space.
- Development and/or ownership of open space.
- Development of public infrastructure that is related to a Community Legacy project, such as parking, lighting and improvements to pedestrian and bicycle circulation.
- Streetscape improvements along streets that are generally not State highways.
- Strategic demolition, including land banking, to stimulate redevelopment.
- Acquisition and/or improvement of vacant buildings or unimproved land.
Funding Information
Fiscal Year 2023 Funding: $8 Million Capital
Eligibility Criteria
Lead applicants will be local governments or community development organizations. Local government applications should be lead-sponsored by the Community and/or Economic Development agency, or, in the absence of such an agency or staff, the local agency designated by the jurisdiction’s chief executive. Supporting applicant team members can and should include housing agencies, planning departments, local non-profits, civic institutions and private sector companies and lenders.
For more information, visit Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development.
