Current with changes from the 2024 Legislative Session
Section 6-308.3 - Food desert projects(a) If the Department determines that an entity is capable of administering a food desert project, the entity may originate and administer financial assistance to a food desert project in accordance with standards the Department adopts by regulation.(b) The Department may: (1) pay an approved entity a reasonable origination, application, and processing fee for each food desert project that is originated by the approved entity;(2) directly fund the financial assistance for a food desert project that is originated by an approved entity;(3) provide financial assistance to an approved entity for the purpose of the approved entity providing financial assistance for a food desert project in accordance with this subtitle; and(4)(i) provide small loans in amounts that are not more than $100,000 per loan to an approved entity for assistance in providing or maintaining access to healthy food in urban or rural food deserts, including by providing loans for:1. refrigerators, freezers, and other equipment; and2. subject to subsection (c) of this section, operating costs incurred in providing access to healthy food in urban or rural food deserts; and(ii) work with intermediaries to administer the small loans authorized under item (i) of this paragraph.(c) The Department shall forgive a loan for operating costs made under subsection (b)(4)(i)2 of this section after 5 years, if the loan recipient maintains continuous operations at the same location during that time.Amended by 2021 Md. Laws, Ch. 91,Sec. 1, eff. 7/1/2021.Amended by 2017 Md. Laws, Ch. 636,Sec. 1, eff. 10/1/2017.Added by 2014 Md. Laws, Ch. 228,Sec. 1, eff. 10/1/2014.