The Countywide Facade Easement Program revitalizes commercial areas throughout Montgomery County with a focus on older commercial properties. The objective is to support small businesses and encourage private investment. Improvements include installation of new facade materials, center and tenant signage, exterior building and parking lot lighting, outdoor landscaping, murals, and other permanent art features.

Cost change due to the addition of funding for FY31 and FY32 for this ongoing level-of-effort project.

As older commercial areas throughout the County continue to age, it is important for the County to provide technical and financial assistance to ensure those aging properties are improved to meet today's commercial standards and demands. The project will require participants to maintain their properties for a negotiated term, with the intent to leverage investment provided by the public sector to encourage private property and business owners to make physical improvements to their buildings. The objective is to provide more attractive and aesthetically pleasing commercial environments that are safe shopping areas for residents and to generate a greater impact on the older commercial areas throughout the County.

FY25 supplemental in State Aid for the amount of $500,000 for commercial building facade improvements.

Expenditures will continue indefinitely. The County Executive asserts that this project conforms to the requirement of relevant local plans, as required by the Maryland Economic Growth, Resource Protection and Planning Act.

Office of the County Executive, Regional Services Centers, Office of the County Attorney, Department of Permitting Services, Office of Procurement, Maryland National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Maryland Department of the Environment, Montgomery County Economic Development Corporation