Maryland Department of Housing and
Community Development

Key Bridge Collapse Business Support

​​ ​​​​​The department’s two temporary Key Bridge Collapse Business Support programs will end soon. The Neighborhood BusinessWorks Grant Program ended as of June 28, 2024, and the Neighborhood BusinessWorks Loan Program will end August 15, 2024. If you have questions about an existing application, please email portrecovery.dhcd@maryland.gov​ or log in to the application portal.

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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​On April 5, 2024, Governor Moore signed an executive order to establish temporary relief programs to support businesses and workers impacted by the Key Bridge collapse and disruption of operations to the Port of Baltimore. Under the Executive Order, the Department of Housing and Community Development is authorizing the Neighborhood BusinessWorks Program to provide no-interest loans to eligible businesses of 500 or fewer employees that have been impacted by a loss of revenue or an increase to costs relating to the Key Bridge collapse and will be formally established upon the enactment of the PORT Act.

Neighborhood Business Works: Loan Program

Loans up to $500,000 (Up to $10M Allocated in Initial Funding)

  • 12 month payment deferral period
  • Loan repayment term - subject to underwriting
  • 0% Interest rates
  • 10% forgiveness with timely repayment

NOTE: Loans over $500k may be considered through DHCD’s traditional lending programs​, subject to full underwriting and program criteria.

Eligibility and Restrictions

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For Loan Programs

  • Businesses with 500 or fewer Maryland employees are eligible
  • Business must have a minimum of two employees
  • Funds will be used to address revenue reductions and/or operating expense increases, the replacement of which are critical to the business continuity of operations and which were incurred beginning on March 26, 2024.
  • Proof of loss of revenue or increased expenses due to bridge collapse/reduction in Port operations
  • Loan requests have NO geographic limitation
  • Must be registered and in good standing with the Maryland Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT)
  • Non-profit organizations are not eligible

NOTE: Only applications that are fully complete at submission will be considered for funding. Funding requests will be processed on a first-come-first-served basis; however, individual loan awards and grant requests may be reduced from what is requested at the discretion of DHCD, including as a response to excess funding demand.   

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Documents

Application

Please use the application portal to submit or check the status of your application.

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​ Application Portal
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More Information

To find out more about this funding contact portrecovery.dhcd@maryland.gov

If you are currently experiencing issues paying your mortgage, contact your servicer to inquire about forbearance options. To be connected to housing counseling and legal services, call 1-877-462-7555 or see Participating Housing Counseling and Legal Services Agencies​ to find an agency that can work with you to access relief.

Additional Port Act Programs

The PORT Act authorized additional programs established by the Department of Commerce and the Department of Labor to support businesses and workers impacted by the Key Bridge collapse and disruption of operations to the Port of Baltimore.

Resources