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Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development

Just Communities Restorative Capital

The DHCD Division of Just Communities (DJC) launched its People-Centered Placemaking approach to help ensure public investments lead to better health and economic outcomes for communities that have been historically left out by prioritizing overburdened, underserved, and climate vulnerable beneficiaries. 

The Division developed the Community Investment StoryMap to provide a roadmap to center the priorities of impacted residents to ensure they can easily and consistently reach decision-makers and affect plans. The StoryMap is a comprehensive guide for how to microtarget investment to better achieve equitable people and place-based outcomes.

To sustain momentum and scale this initiative, the Division seeks to partner with diverse sectors to match and leverage public investment with grants and social impact funding to advance the Just Communities Restorative Capital strategy. Together, our efforts will increase work, wage, and wealth outcomes for people furthest from justice. 

Restorative Capital - Interested in partnering in this work?

Strategic partnerships will enable us to further innovate data-driven, heart-led solutions that increase the state’s ability to report on our impact in Maryland’s Just Communities. Together, we can maximize returns on investment, such as wellbeing and wealth-building, within disinvested places for disproportionately affected communities.

Joining the development without displacement movement will also support: 

  • Refinement of our equity-centered evaluation framework 
  • Development of a state-wide displacement risk assessment tool
  • Expansion of our all-of-government trauma-informed community development approach

Department Selected for Rural and Small Cities Program

As a member of the Public Finance Initiative's Rural and Small Cities Program, the Division of Just Communities is receiving support in assessing place-based challenges, understanding options to finance investments over time, and developing actionable plans to achieve its goals through technical assistance and tailored capacity building workshops.

See the announcement

2025 Economic Architecture Spotlight Innovator

Assistant Secretary Cat Goughnour was named a 2025 Economic Architecture Spotlight Innovator.

Read about the selection

Resources

Just Communities Roadmap: The First 5 years

  • ​Step 1 - 2023: DHCD hired first-ever Assistant Secretary of Just Communities
  • ​Step 2 - 2023: Created Maryland DHCD's Division of Just Communities
  • Step 3 - 2024: Passed HB241/SB308, Just Communities Act
  • Step 4 - 2024: Published Baseline Report