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Community Legacy Program

Community Legacy Program

After Photo of the Emmitsburg VFW 12 W. Main St
The Community Legacy program is a partnership between the town and the Maryland Dept. of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). It provides 50% matching grants for exterior facade and other improvements, and the property owner pays the other 50%. The Town supplies the administrative part of the program. The maximum grant is $12,500 per property, per State fiscal year.




Before Photo of the Emmitsburg VFW 12 W. Main St

In order to apply, the property has to be located within a designated S
ustainable area -- primarily the National Register Historic District. The Town has received $50,000 in grant money each year since FY2013, and is currently working on the FY2020 program.



Grant Application Process:

  1. An owner who is interested in applying for the program should contact the
    Town Planner at 301-600-6309 to make sure their property and their project
    qualifies.  Applications can be downloaded here or picked up at the Town office.
  2. A local Sustainable Community Work Group reviews the applications received
    and forwards them to the Maryland Historical Trust for review. The MHT review
    determines whether the property is a "contributing structure" to the historic
    district, and whether the proposed project complies with Federal standards for
    materials and work on such structures.
  3. Once approved, the Town and property sign an agreement -- with a time frame
    for completion -- and the work can commence.
  4. When the work is completed, the owner pays the total amount to the contractor
    and provides proof to the Town that the contractor has been paid.
  5. The Town submits a reimbursement request to DHCD for the 50% grant money,
    and provides a check to the property owner once the reimbursement is
    received.

**This process takes a few months, but the results have been very positive for both the property owners and the Town in general.