Governor Martin O'Malley Announces High Level of Interest in Relocation of State Agency to Prince George's County

Press Release

Governor Martin O'Malley announced today, that after formally gauging interest in Prince George's County for the relocation of the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), the State has received 16 responses to its July 16 request for information, allowing the State to move forward with a Request for Proposals (RFP) process. Information in these responses will help the Department of General Services, which will administer the RFP process, to receive bids to select the Department's new home in Prince George's County.

"The high level of interest reaffirms our belief that relocating DHCD to a transit-oriented location in Prince George's County is a viable approach to economic development and an indication that we are on the right track," said Governor Martin O'Malley. "The competitive process underway provides an opportunity not only to foster smart growth and bring the Department of Housing and Community Development closer to the people it serves, but to get the best deal for the taxpayer as well."

"Prince George's County is an ideal home for DHCD and the number of responses we received signals that there will be robust competition for a new Department site this fall," said Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown. "As a resident of Prince George's County, I am proud of our efforts to bring the Department to the region - a move that will spark economic development, create jobs and allow our families and businesses to continue to thrive for years to come."

The RFP will be issued by the Department of General Services on September 15. The RFP process will include a pre-proposal meeting and will invite comments and suggestions. Final responses to the RFP will be due by November 15. It is expected that responses will be reviewed through the end of the year before final selection is announced.

The mission of DHCD is to finance housing opportunities and help revitalize communities so all Maryland citizens will have the opportunity to live and prosper in affordable, desirable and secure housing in thriving communities. The Department employs over 330 employees at its current headquarters, located on a secluded campus in Crownsville, MD. In June, Governor O'Malley announced plans to begin the process of relocating the DHCD headquarters, bringing an agency dedicated to neighborhood revitalization closer to one of the population centers it serves most, while promoting smart growth and sustainable communities. Prince George's County has never been home to a state agency.

Transit Oriented Development is a critical component of Governor O'Malley's Smart, Green and Growing initiative aimed at curbing greenhouse gas emissions, sprawl development and traffic congestion, while fostering economic growth. Transit-oriented development creates compact, walkable neighborhoods around transit stations and increases transit ridership by creating destinations within a short walk of stations. It also offers residents a convenient commute to jobs, shopping and entertainment in the region. The Governor designated 14 locations throughout Maryland that will receive priority for state development assistance.

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