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WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 389
Chapter 389
(Senate Bill 816)
AN ACT concerning
West North Avenue Development Authority – Neighborhood Social Connection
and Development Program – Establishment
(WNADA Neighborhood Social Connection and Development Act)
FOR the purpose of establishing the Neighborhood Social Connection and Development
Program within the West North Avenue Development Authority to provide technical
support and grants to certain organizations to implement programs that foster social
connections and activities in a certain area; authorizing the West North Avenue
Development Authority, in conjunction with the Department of Housing and
Community Development, to use funds from the Continuing the CORE Partnership
Fund to assist with the removal of certain blighted property within a certain area;
and generally relating to the Neighborhood Social Connection and Development
Program in the West North Avenue Development Authority.
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
Article – Economic Development
Section 12–701
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
BY adding to
Article – Economic Development
Section 12–715
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments,
Article – Housing and Community Development
Section 4–511(a) and (b)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,
Article – Housing and Community Development
Section 4–511(c)
Annotated Code of Maryland
(2019 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement)
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND,
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:
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Ch. 389 2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND
Article – Economic Development
12–701.
(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated.
(b) “Authority” means the West North Avenue Development Authority.
(c) “Board” means the Board of Directors of the Authority.
(d) “Buffer zone” means the area within 250 yards of the target area.
(e) “Target area” means the portion of West North Avenue in Baltimore City
between the 600 block and the 3200 block, inclusive.
(f) “West North Avenue Corridor” includes the geographic area consisting of the
target area and the buffer zone.
12–715.
(A) IN THIS SECTION, “PROGRAM” MEANS THE NEIGHBORHOOD SOCIAL
CONNECTION AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
(B) THERE IS A NEIGHBORHOOD SOCIAL CONNECTION AND DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM IN THE AUTHORITY.
(C) THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM IS TO FOSTER SOCIAL CONNECTIONS
TO SUPPORT NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE WEST NORTH AVENUE
CORRIDOR BY:
(1) PROVIDING TECHNICAL SUPPORT TO PARTICIPATING
ORGANIZATIONS, INCLUDING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS,
NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATIONS, VOLUNTEER GROUPS, AND NONPROFIT
ORGANIZATIONS; AND
(2) AWARDING GRANTS TO IMPLEMENT PROGRAMS THAT FOSTER
SOCIAL CONNECTIONS AND ACTIVITIES TAILORED TO SUPPORT NEIGHBORHOOD
DEVELOPMENT.
(D) (1) THE AUTHORITY SHALL AWARD GRANTS TO IMPLEMENT THE
PROGRAM.
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WES MOORE, Governor Ch. 389
(2) THE AUTHORITY MAY ANNUALLY SET ASIDE EXISTING FUNDS OF
NOT MORE THAN $500,000 $150,000 FOR THE PURPOSE OF AWARDING GRANTS
UNDER THE PROGRAM.
(3) THE AUTHORITY MAY AWARD A GRANT UNDER THIS SECTION
ONLY FOR:
(I) SOCIAL GATHERINGS, INCLUDING BLOCK PARTIES,
CULTURAL FESTIVALS, PARADES, SPEAKER SERIES, AND SERVICE OR
RECREATIONAL EVENTS;
(II) OUTREACH INITIATIVES, INCLUDING NEIGHBORHOOD
NEWSLETTERS, COMMUNITY BULLETINS, OR DIGITAL CONTENT, TO RAISE
AWARENESS OF SOCIAL EVENTS AND CONNECT RESIDENTS WITH AVAILABLE
RESOURCES AND SERVICES;
(III) STIPENDS TO COMPENSATE VOLUNTEERS FOR THE TIME
USED TO ORGANIZE PROJECTS, REFRESHMENTS AT PROGRAM DESIGNATED
EVENTS, RENTAL AND EVENT SPACES, AND MATERIALS FOR PROGRAM EVENTS;
(IV) OPERATING SUPPORT FOR PARTICIPATING
ORGANIZATIONS;
(V) SOCIAL CONNECTION PROJECTS TO CREATE AND MAINTAIN
GREEN SPACES OR OTHER COMMUNITY GATHERING SPACES;
(VI) RESOURCES FOR TRAINING AND HIRING COMMUNITY
ORGANIZERS; AND
(VII) RESOURCES FOR GRANT APPLICATION EFFORTS.
(E) PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS SHALL COLLABORATE WITH
RESIDENTS OF THE WEST NORTH AVENUE CORRIDOR IN THE PLANNING AND
IMPLEMENTATION OF EVENTS AND PROJECTS TO ENSURE THAT ACTIVITIES
REFLECT NEIGHBORHOOD PRIORITIES AND, TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, THAT
EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES ARE LED BY RESIDENTS.
(F) ON OR BEFORE JULY 1, 2029, THE AUTHORITY SHALL COMPILE
EVALUATIONS AND OUTCOMES OF PROGRAMS TO DEVELOP A TEMPLATE FOR
NEIGHBORHOOD BUILDING AND PROVIDE SCALING RECOMMENDATIONS TO SIMILAR
ORGANIZATIONS IN THE STATE AND ACROSS THE UNITED STATES.
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Ch. 389 2026 LAWS OF MARYLAND
(G) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2027, AND EACH DECEMBER 1
THEREAFTER, THE AUTHORITY SHALL REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR AND, IN
ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE GENERAL
ASSEMBLY ON ITS COMPREHENSIVE GRANT–AWARDING ACTIVITIES.
Article – Housing and Community Development
4–511.
(a) In this section, “Fund” means the Continuing the CORE Partnership Fund.
(b) There is a Continuing the CORE Partnership Fund.
(c) The purpose of the Fund is to assist the Department, in conjunction with the
Maryland Stadium Authority, THE WEST NORTH AVENUE DEVELOPMENT
AUTHORITY, and Baltimore City, in expeditiously removing blighted property within
Baltimore City.
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect
October 1, 2026. It shall remain effective until the taking effect of the termination provision
specified in Section 3 of Chapters 215 and 216 of the Acts of the General Assembly of 2025.
If that termination provision takes effect, this Act, with no further action required by the
General Assembly, shall be abrogated and of no further force and effect. This Act may not
be interpreted to have any effect on that termination provision.
Approved by the Governor, May 12, 2026.
–4–Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.