The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) has recently announced a series of planned awards and investments in Kent County, totaling more than $2M in total funding that will benefit Kent County and its residents, businesses, and communities. DHCD’s State Revitalization Program (SRP) has selected Kent County entities for awards through a variety of programs, including:
Community Legacy Funding, providing funds for projects that stabilize communities, reverse economic or physical decline, and encourage sustainable growth, including:
- $100,000 to Main Street Rock Hall for site development and construction of a community multi-use area on a vacant lot
- $150,000 to the Town of Betterton, to provide extensive renovations to the Betterton American Legion Building, including a new roof, windows, ceilings, floors, and a kitchen update
SEED Funding, providing competitive grants and loans to anchor institutions that build relationships with the community to generate jobs, and lead to safer, healthier, and more attractive communities, including: - $500,000 to Washington College toward the construction of its Innovation Plant, which will serve as a regional hub for workforce training, skilled trades education, and entrepreneurship, as well as a public walking path to facilitate community access to the facility
Maryland Façade Improvement Program, providing funds to improve the exteriors of businesses and facilities to support community revitalization, including:
- $50,000 to Main Street Historic Chestertown, to support its successful downtown Façade Improvement Program
- $50,000 to the Town of Galena, to incentivize exterior improvements of buildings in Town, including painting, siding, shingles, windows, rain gutters, and porch repair
- $50,000 to Main Street Rock Hall, to support commercial property façade improvements and revitalization
Strategic Demolition Fund Program, to fund demolition of derelict non-contributing structures to accelerate economic development, including:
- $250,000 to Main Street Historic Chestertown, to demolish unused and deteriorating structures at 107 North Cross Street to enable redevelopment
SFY2026 Community Investment Tax Credit Program, awarding allocations of State tax credits to benefit local projects and services, including:
- $10,000 to Main Street Historic Chestertown, to provide operating support in delivering programs across all Main Street pillars
FY26 Community Development Block Grant Funding, providing funds to expand housing, public service, and local economic opportunities for communities that benefit low- to moderate-income individuals, including:
- $800,000 toward infrastructure related to the relocation and new construction of the Millington Wastewater Treatment Plant
FY26 Technical Assistance Grant Funding, to support capacity to achieve community revitalization and economic development goals, including:
- $30,000 to Kent Attainable Housing, a local nonprofit focused on breaking the cycle of intergenerational poverty by preparing limited-income families for first-time home ownership - $30,000 to the Kent County Government to conduct a comprehensive County-wide housing study - $20,000 to Main Street Rock Hall, to support professional services for design plans for a community space on the vacant lot located at 5769 Main Street, Rock Hall, to include a small park, flex space for community events, as well as a parking area to support those events and local businesses - $26,000 to Rebuilding Together Eastern Shore, a nonprofit focused on ensuring individuals can live in safe and habitable homes
Visit DHCD’s website on its State Revitalization Programs for more information about its various funding programs or click here for the full list of DHCD’s proposed State Revitalization Program Awards and FY26 Community Investment Tax Credit Awards, Community Development Block Grant Awards, and Technical Assistance Grant Awards.
