{"data":{"id":"us-md/md.-code-housing-and-community-development-6-308","jurisdiction":"us-md","citation":"Md. Code, Housing and Community Development § 6–308","heading":"","body":"(a) The Department shall:\n(1) administer the Business Development Program;\n(2) adopt regulations to carry out the Business Development Program, including a process to designate an area as a food desert under subsection (c) of this section; and\n(3) make a reasonable, good faith effort to make 25% of the Business Development Program loans and grants to microenterprises.\n(b) The Department may:\n(1) sell, assign, or otherwise dispose of a Program loan or revenue from a loan on terms and conditions acceptable to the Department, including selling loans at a discount, if the maximum sale proceeds in any fiscal year do not exceed limits that the Department sets by regulation;\n(2) apply the proceeds received from a sale, assignment, or other disposition under item (1) of this subsection to the Fund;\n(3) pledge a Program loan as security for any:\n(i) business project loan, bond, or security that is issued, made, or purchased by the Community Development Administration under Title 4 of this article; or\n(ii) insurance, guaranty, or credit enhancement on a Program loan or business project under § 4–223 of this article; and\n(4) without approval or execution by the Board of Public Works, sell or assign any equity interest acquired under § 6–305(d) of this subtitle.\n(c) The Secretary, on the recommendation of the Interagency Food Desert Advisory Committee established under § 6–308.2 of this subtitle, may designate an area as a food desert after considering the following factors:\n(1) availability of fresh fruit, vegetables, and other healthy foods in the area;\n(2) income levels of local residents;\n(3) transportation needs of local residents and the availability of public transportation;\n(4) comments from local governments; and\n(5) any other factors that the Department considers relevant.","path":["Article - Housing and Community Development"],"source_url":"https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Laws/StatuteText?article=ghs\u0026section=6-308","current_through":"2026-01-01","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-09-14T19:59:07Z","sha256":"cb1013779c841df1f0c50e6c87da40bf827100f1fd48fe591396e3c54d0e3680","source_id":"us-md","stale":false,"prev":"us-md/md.-code-housing-and-community-development-6-307","next":"us-md/md.-code-housing-and-community-development-6-308.1"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}