Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) The Council of State Community and Economic Development Agencies (COSCDA) awarded the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) its Sterling Achievement Award for the state's comprehensive nine-year long efforts to revitalize the town of North Beach in Calvert County. The DHCD partnered with other state agencies including the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development (DBED), the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT) on revitalization efforts in North Beach that were cited as a successful model of coordinated reinvestment strategies.
"Our efforts in the town of North Beach serve as great example of Maryland's commitment to long-term community revitalization based on Smart, Green, and Growing principles," says Gov. Martin O'Malley. "This award endorses our wise investment strategies, ensuring that North Beach and communities throughout our State will be economically strong and sustainable and remain attractive places to live and work for all Marylanders."
Originally platted in 1900, North Beach served as the home for local watermen who made their living by fishing the Chesapeake Bay. It soon became a well known resort town, serving as a summertime destination for part-time residents from Baltimore and Washington, DC. With the construction of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in 1955 and the end of legalized gambling in Maryland, North Beach's status as a resort destination soon faded, and, by the 1970s, the town was experiencing rapid disinvestment.
With the adoption of Smart Growth policies under former Gov. Parris N. Glendening, North Beach was identified as a "Designated Neighborhood," which is defined as a mixed-use area in need of social and/or physical revitalization. Projects located in Designated Neighborhoods receive priority for financial assistance through federal programs like the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and the HOME Investments Partnership Program (HOME) which are administered in rural areas by DHCD, as well as state programs managed by DHCD and additional state agencies. This status as a targeted area paved the way for coordinated reinvestment to revitalize the town of 1,800 residents.
Since 2000, DHCD has invested $2.5 million in North Beach, which has leveraged millions more in additional funding. Concentrated investment by DHCD, MDOT, DBED, and other state agencies has exceeded more than $20 million. This investment has transformed North Beach into an attractive, year-round community that is economically vibrant and provides a high quality of life for its residents.
"The revitalization of North Beach is a testament to the great work that can be done through partnerships between State agencies and local governments," said Skinner. "The coordinated efforts involved in this partnership provide a great model for Maryland and the entire nation for small town revitalization."
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Source: Gov. Martin O'Malley
Writer: Walaika Haskins