The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development recently announced the publication of a baseline report from its Division of Just Communities. The report is the first formal publication of the new division, and it states the mission and vision of the Division, detailing information on racial disparities in Maryland housing and neighborhood conditions, as well as the current and ongoing work of the Department to address inequities.
“The Division of Just Communities ensures that we make positive, equity-driven policy decisions that specifically counteract decades of harm and disinvestment in primarily minority communities,” said Secretary Jake Day. “This baseline report outlines our inspirations and aspirations as we work together to lift the barriers that cultivated separate and unequal neighborhoods.”
The Department invites community members and leaders, nonprofit and for-profit developers, firms and investors, elected officials and appointees, philanthropic and research institutions, and other internal and external stakeholders to assist in the co-creation of the Division of Just Communities portfolio as the Department’s hub for racial equity and social justice.
The Just Communities baseline report:
- Defines the new Division’s scope to both internal and external stakeholders;
- Demonstrates the Division’s strong understanding of Maryland housing policy’s historic wrongs;
- Celebrates ongoing initiatives that can advance racial equity; and
- Introduces the Department’s Just Communities measurement strategy.
To read the full baseline report, click here.
The Department’s Division of Just Communities was created in 2023 to prioritize resources in areas that have experienced historical disinvestment to right the wrongs of the past. The Division works to build and strengthen partnerships in communities with economic and housing trends that demonstrate a need for reinvestment.
Under the leadership of Assistant Secretary Cat Goughnour, the Division of Just Communities marks a new and focused effort by the Department and the State of Maryland to help reverse decades of exclusionary policies, opening pathways to opportunity in minoritized communities that have been previously denied them and ensuring that no Marylander is left behind.
“Just Communities are those that affirmatively advance equity and civil rights, create opportunities for the underserved, and right the wrongs of the past by enhancing long-term investment in low-income areas, as well as targeting resources into communities that were historically disinvested in based on race,” said Assistant Secretary Goughnour. “We have heard your call – Marylanders expect us to redress our history of segregation and discrimination. We must foster Just Communities. These efforts are expected to have broader benefits for the entire state by fostering more equitable development, reducing disparities, and creating healthier, more resilient communities that contribute to the overall social and economic well-being of the state.”
The Division will facilitate the implementation of the Just Communities Act, which was signed into law by Governor Wes Moore during the 2024 Legislative Session. Effective July 1, 2024, this Act authorizes the governor, on recommendation by the DHCD Secretary, to designate areas as Just Communities based on specific criteria including a history of redlining, exclusionary zoning, high imprisonment rates, and unequal exposure to environmental or health hazards.
Additionally, the Just Communities Act is highlighted as part of DHCD’s Turning the Key campaign, designed to raise awareness of the state’s efforts to address the housing unit shortage and unlock Maryland’s potential during the 2024 Legislative Session. The campaign encourages stakeholders to be part of the solution and communicates information on the implementation of new laws, including the Just Communities Act.
To subscribe for updates about the Division of Just Communities, go to dhcd.maryland.gov/subscribe.
For more information about the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development’s Division of Just Communities, visit dhcd.maryland.gov.