PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. - On Oct. 22, 2024, the Calvert County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a motion to purchase the property at 87 Main Street, Prince Frederick, to use as a transit and community hub for Calvert County's homeless population. This property was previously a parsonage of Trinity Church.
The approved motion stipulates that the board would provide around $300,000 to partially fund the purchase of this property, with an additional $3.5 million in funding from a variety of sources, including a Community Legacy Grant from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, which is likely to be awarded this month.
The property will be used in conjunction with the adjacent county-owned property at 85 Main Street to provide reliable public transport for the homeless of Calvert County through the establishment of a "transport hub." Previously, the property at 85 Main Street was used for homeless day services and an emergency weather shelter. However, reliable transportation remained a problem. According to Jennifer Moreland, director of Community Resources for Calvert County, the additional property will "provide service at a place where there is easy access to transit," and emphasizes the importance of providing services at a centralized location rather than at various locations that would force people in need to travel significant distances and miss appointments.
Under the current plan, 85 Main Street will become the "transit hub," providing free public transport. For example, as Board President Earl F. "Buddy" Hance noted: "If you catch the county bus in Solomons, and you need to come to North Beach, you would come there and transfer to another bus that would take you further north." Homeless day services will continue to be provided at 87 Main Street, including mental health and substance abuse support provided in partnership with the nonprofit organization On Our Own.
Similar initiatives have been implemented successfully in other Maryland counties, including St. Mary's County.
The effort was led by Jennifer Moreland, in coordination with the Office of the County Attorney, Department of Finance & Budget, Department of Public Works, and the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT). Also involved are nonprofit partners, including On Our Own and Lifestyles.
Going forward, Moreland noted that "the goal with the homeless population is to see more supportive housing introduced." To that end, recent legislation has introduced incentives for developers to invest in supportive housing projects, but there remains a lack of housing for homeless persons that provides additional necessary services like mental health support or basic daily needs. However, as Vice President of the Board Catherine M. Grasso said, it is an effective "stop-gap" measure that will provide essential support to the homeless population of Calvert County.