Joined by the Secretary of Housing and Community Development Ken Holt and Secretary of Commerce Kelly Schulz, Governor Hogan announced today efforts to provide financial relief for business, funding for affordable housing, assistance to treat Marylanders with diabetes, and provide additional funds for law enforcement, youth services, and victim services.

A Baltimore Sun article describes the new funding initiatives,

  • An executive order providing unemployment tax relief for small businesses. Under the order, an employer’s 2021 tax rate will be based on their “non-pandemic experience” by excluding the 2020 fiscal year. Instead, the rate will and instead by using the last three fiscal years of 2017, 2018, and 2019. This order is designed to help businesses keep more workers on their payrolls.
  • Forgiveness of $75 million in emergency loans. The loans, provided during the first round of economic relief, will be converted to grants.
  • More support for affordable housing. The state said it will provide nearly $25 million to fund about 2,000 units of low income housing and an additional $12 million to the Rental Housing Works program to create more construction and jobs.

Department of Labor press release and Executive Order

The Governor also announced $94 million to assist people with prediabetes and diabetes prevent or manage their disease during the COVID-19 pandemic. As described in the Maryland Department of Health press release, funds will be allocated as follows:

  • $86.3 Million In HSCRC Regional Partnership Catalyst Grants to Invest in diabetes initiatives with MD Hospitals and Community Health Partners
  • CareFirst Pledges $6.6 Million To Help Marylanders Who Experience Socioeconomic Barriers to Diabetes Care

Lastly, the Governor announced the awarding of more than $10 million in federal funding through the Coronavirus Emergency Supplemental Funding Program to support a wide range of responses to the Coronavirus  pandemic for law enforcement, youth services, and victim services. A complete list of the initiatives funded by the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth, and Victim Services are described in the agency press release.