<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<section article="ghs" article_name="Housing and Community Development" number="4-508" title_number="4" title_name="Division of Development Finance" subtitle_number="5" subtitle_name="Funds">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this section, “Fund” means the Strategic Demolition and Smart Growth Impact Fund.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>There is a Strategic Demolition and Smart Growth Impact Fund.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The purpose of the Fund is to provide grants and loans to assist in predevelopment activities, including interior and exterior demolition, land assembly, architecture and engineering, site development, and credit enhancement for revitalization projects in designated areas of the State.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>The Department shall administer the Fund.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Fund is a special, nonlapsing fund that is not subject to § 7–302 of the State Finance and Procurement Article.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The State Treasurer shall hold the Fund separately, and the Comptroller shall account for the Fund.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>The Fund consists of:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>money appropriated in the State budget to the Fund;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>repayments of loans made from the Fund;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>interest earnings of the Fund; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>any other money from any other source accepted for the benefit of the Fund.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Fund may be used only to provide grants and loans to government agencies and community development organizations for interior and exterior demolition, land assembly, architecture and engineering, site development, and credit enhancement for revitalization projects in an area designated as:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>a Sustainable Community; or</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>a qualified opportunity zone designated under § 1400Z–1 of the Internal Revenue Code in Allegany County, Garrett County, Somerset County, or Wicomico County.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <level label="i">
        <text>For fiscal years 2017 through 2019, to be eligible for a grant or loan from the Fund, a government agency or community development organization shall provide evidence of a matching fund that is equal to $1 for every $4 in State funding that the agency or organization is applying for from the Fund.</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>The matching fund required under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph may include:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>money from the federal government, local government, or any other public or private source;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>real property;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>in–kind contributions; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="4">
          <text>funds expended before the date the grant or loan is awarded.</text>
        </level>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>For fiscal year 2020 and each fiscal year thereafter, to be eligible for a grant or loan from the Fund, a government agency or community development organization is not required to provide evidence of a matching fund.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The Department shall award grants and loans from the Fund on a competitive basis.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The State Treasurer shall invest the money of the Fund in the same manner as other State money may be invested.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Any interest earnings of the Fund shall be credited to the Fund.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="i">
    <text>Expenditures from the Fund may be made only in accordance with the State budget.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="j">
    <level label="1">
      <text>For fiscal year 2018, the Governor shall include in the annual budget bill or capital budget bill an appropriation of $25,625,000 from general funds or the proceeds from the sale of State general obligation bonds to the Fund, which shall be allocated as follows:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>$22,125,000 for projects in Baltimore City; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>$3,500,000 for projects throughout the State.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>For fiscal year 2019, the Governor shall include in the annual budget bill or capital budget bill an appropriation of $28,500,000 from general funds or the proceeds from the sale of State general obligation bonds to the Fund, which shall be allocated as follows:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>$25,000,000 for projects in Baltimore City; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>$3,500,000 for projects throughout the State.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
