BALTIMORE, MD – Nearly 800 attendees at the Baltimore Convention Center for today’s 2007 Governor’s Housing Conference learned firsthand about the State’s commitment to Smart Growth in affordable housing and community revitalization initiatives. Serving as keynote speaker for the Conference, Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown outlined Maryland’s preparedness for the U.S. Military’s Base Realignment And Closure (BRAC) activities and its relation to housing and community development programs.
“We remain committed to ensuring that Maryland's BRAC growth is Smart Growth,” said Lt. Governor Brown. “We look forward to working with our government, community and private-sector partners to expand access to affordable housing, open new doors to home ownership, and improve our State's public transit options.”
Co-sponsored by DHCD and the Home Builders Association of Maryland (HBAM), this year’s Conference provided an educational opportunity for leaders in the housing and community development field to come together and hear national and regional experts on such issues as neighborhood revitalization, homeownership preservation, research, and housing development and finance. The Conference featured four educational tracks on “Sustaining Communities,” “Housing Production and Finance,” “Preserving Homeownership,” and “Preparing for BRAC.”
During the Conference’s luncheon session Secretary Skinner announced DHCD’s new multifamily housing initiative, the One Stop Shop Preservation Initiative for 2008. Under this initiative, DHCD will make available $75 million of its Calendar Year 2008 multifamily tax-exempt bond volume cap for the preservation of existing affordable housing projects throughout the State – with particular interest in preservation in BRAC-impacted communities. This tax -exempt bond financing may be used in conjunction with other DHCD resources.
lthough details still are being worked out, DHCD intends to apply for approximately $5 million in funding from the MacArthur Foundation to preserve and improve the existing stock of privately owned affordable rental homes in response to the Foundation’s recent announcement that it will provide $35 million in new funding for innovative public sector initiatives to preserve and improve the existing stock of privately owned affordable rental homes.
“With the influx of jobs and families due to BRAC, providing affordable housing opportunities is increasingly important,” said Secretary Skinner. “We will work with our partners to promote the One Stop Shop Preservation Initiative and all other opportunities to preserve affordable rental housing stock in Maryland.”
The Conference also celebrated the great achievements in affordable housing and community revitalization over the past year, highlighted by the presentation of DHCD’s 2007 Commitment To Excellence Awards. Awards in six categories were presented by Lt. Governor Brown and Secretary Skinner during the Conference’s luncheon program. The winners were: AGING IN PLACE AWARD – Victory Housing of Palmer Park in Prince George’s County HOMEOWNERSHIP AWARD – Home Partnership, Inc. of Harford County SPECIAL NEEDS HOUSING AWARD – Housing Unlimited, Inc. of Montgomery County COMMUNITY BUILDING AWARD – Printers’ Square of Baltimore City SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AWARD – Tsunami Restaurant in Baltimore City PARTNER OF THE YEAR AWARD – Nancy Rase, Homes for America, Inc.
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 and its programs, visit www.mdhousing.org.
CONTACTS:
Samantha Kappalman
Press Secretary
(410) 260-3813
(443) 336-1860
Jacqueline Lampell
DHCD Communications Director
410.514.7704 or 443-716-5007 |
