Baltimore Regional Neighborhood Initiative

​​ The Baltimore Regional Neighborhood Initiative program aims to demonstrate how strategic investment in local housing and businesses can lead to healthy, sustainable communities with a growing tax base and enhanced quality of life. The program attempts to focus on areas where modest investment and a coordinated strategy will have an appreciable neighborhood revitalization impact.

Who Can Apply

Community Development Organizations with an approved strategic neighborhood revitalization plan may apply for Baltimore Regional Neighborhood Initiative funding for projects located in Sustainable Community Areas in Baltimore City and inner beltway of Baltimore and Anne Arundel counties.

If a Community Development Organization is interested in applying to the program and does not have an approved strategic neighborhood revitalization plan, then it must submit a plan at the time of application along with its projects for which it is requesting funds. Prior to any funding awards, the strategic neighborhood revitalization plan must be approved by the Department.

Community Development Organizations are strongly recommended to apply with partner organizations, including Community Development Financial Institutions. Cross-jurisdictional partnerships are eligible and encouraged.

Eligible Projects

Projects should capitalize on the strengths of a community, be targeted in a specific neighborhood or set of neighborhoods and be part of the approved strategic neighborhood revitalization plan.

Projects/activities typically include, but are not limited to:

  • Down payment assistance to attract home buyers to purchase and rehabilitate homes
  • Programs to acquire or rehabilitate vacant or blighted properties
  • Programs to improve existing residential and business properties
  • Programs to achieve energy efficiency through weatherization and energy retrofits
  • Development of mixed-use projects that combine housing, retail and office space
  • Development or enhancement of community open space or public infrastructure
  • Workforce and employment development programs
  • Strategic demolition
  • Operating costs necessary to implement a community enhancement project

How to Apply

Applications are evaluated based on need, community conditions, project/program scope, proposed timeline, budget, and organizational capacity. When the competitive round is open, the application can be found on the DHCD-NR Project Portal​.

More Information

To find out more about our programs, please contact your Regional Project Manager.​

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