ELLICOTT CITY, MD – Howard County Executive Call Ball today announced the launch of a new, transformational North Laurel/Savage Façade Improvement Grant (FIG) program. Available to businesses in the North Laurel-Savage Sustainable Community area, this program aims to revitalize commercial corridors by enhancing the physical appearance of properties and in turn, boosting property values, attracting new investments and creating a more inviting atmosphere for customers and residents.
Through this program, we are providing our local North Laurel-Savage business owners with affordable solutions to maintain and even transform their properties. Since becoming a designated Sustainable Community this year, Howard County has made numerous strides to improve our Savage community and North Laurel area. We hope that this program continues spurring revitalization along our Route One Corridor, encourage other private investments and historic preservation, reduce commercial vacancy, and improve area aesthetics overall.
Howard County has partnered with the Howard County Economic Development Authority (HCEDA), who recently received $75,000 in funding from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) for this state-funded initiative, to administer the program. The program offers grants of up to $20,000 to assist businesses in the eligible area with exterior aesthetic improvements, such as signage, lighting and window upgrades. Additionally, the program will 100 percent reimbursement for the first $5,000 of eligible and pre-approved project costs and 50 percent reimbursement for total eligible project costs more than $5,000.
This grant program provides local businesses with an important opportunity to enhance their storefronts and create a more welcoming environment. By investing in exterior improvements, we hope to help these businesses attract more customers and strengthen the commercial landscape in North Laurel and Savage, which in turn supports the overall growth of Howard County's economy.
The key objectives of the program include increasing customer foot traffic, improving the safety and functionality of business exteriors, and strengthening the local economy by supporting property upgrades that complement the character of the surrounding community.
Earlier this year, Ball announced DHCD approval of Howard County’s Sustainable Community designation renewal for the North Laurel-Savage area. This renewal extends the North Laurel-Savage area’s Sustainable Community designation for another five years, through 2029, and ensures the County is eligible to apply for state programs, grants, tax credits and loans that may be used throughout the North Laurel-Savage Sustainable Community area. Such eligible initiatives include DHCD’s Community Legacy Program, home rehabilitation, streetscape improvement projects and the Strategic Demolition Fund.
For more information about the program and/or to apply, visit on.hceda.org/FIG or contact Jinal Contractor at jcontractor@hceda.org or 410-313-0721.