Just Communities
Division of Just Communities
The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) Division of Just Communities (DJC) supports the State in counteracting past policy actions and inactions by government agencies and entities that have adversely impacted communities for multiple generations through the implementation of Maryland’s Just Communities Act.
This Division is responsible for developing a map overlay to guide the DHCD Secretary in recommending certain areas in Maryland as Just Communities to the Governor for designation.
DJC Vision: Repair historic harms caused by past policy decisions to create lovable, just and equitable places in Maryland
Under the leadership of Assistant Secretary Cat Goughnour, the Division of Just Communities (DJC) marks a focused effort by DHCD and the State of Maryland to use geocoded data to help reverse decades of disinvestment by:
- Affirmatively advancing equity, civil rights, racial justice and equal opportunity in the State
- Creating opportunities for the improvement of communities that have been historically underserved, with anticipated benefits for the entire state
- Righting the wrong of the past when the State systematically excluded certain groups from equal participation in the benefits of public resources
- Prioritizing State Funding to increase racial, economic health equity in the State
DJC people-centered placemaking
DJC’s work adheres to the Sustainable Growth Equity Principle: Engage all sectors of the community in plan development to ensure diverse voices are heard and the needs of underserved populations are prioritized.
As enabled by statute, DHCD’s Division of Just Communities is responsible for:
- Strategically identifying adversely impacted census tracts for designation
- Using data to prioritize formerly underserved areas in state funding decisions to affirmatively transform separate and unequal neighborhoods into Just Communities
- Engaging and advising State agencies, entities and communities on how to use the Viewer and legislation to assess existing programs for prioritization
- Highlighting racial equity and social justice best practices for community participation, microtargeting, and evaluation
- Building partnerships and institutional capacity to serve people furthest from justice
Just Communities
-
Designated Just Communities
Governor West Moore announced 419 of Maryland's 1463 census tracts as Just Communities, representing 17 counties and the City of Baltimore.
-
Restorative Capital
The goal is for public investments to lead better health and economic outcomes for disproportionately affected communities and residents.
Just Communities Act (JCA)
JCA requires DHCD to use data to identify communities that have been disproportionately affected by harmful government actions and policies, such as redlining, environmental hazard siting, mass incarceration, and state highway displacement.
People-centered placemaking
The aim of the Just Communities Act is to ensure public investments lead to better health and economic outcomes for disproportionately affected communities and residents.
Maryland’s theory of change is that designation and associated prioritization of state funds will rectify past adverse State action toward communities victimized by exclusionary place-based policies by concentrating investment in areas that have been historically excluded from the benefits of State resources. This intentional, all-of-government effort will ensure the people living in those communities benefit from additional State programs.
A data-informed strategy for community investment
Learn about the data-driven metrics, methodology and framework for designating Just Communities, such as the impact of redlining, urban renewal and highway projects, mass incarceration, and unequal exposure to environmental and health hazards.
Just Communities Designations
Across the state, there are 419 designated Just Communities, which means projects in those census tracts have priority consideration for State funding through certain programs.