Habitat Choptank’s newest neighborhood project in Cambridge is well underway thanks to critical infrastructure support from lead supporters and sponsors including FY24 Community Project Funds (CPF) sponsored by Senators Cardin and Van Hollen, the Rural Maryland Council, The Nathan Foundation, and The Robbins Foundation.

The Cardin Way project, named for recently retired Senator Ben Cardin, is located at 408 Camper Street (Tax Map 301, Parcel 1901, Lot 13), and 839 Park Lane (Tax Map 301, Parcel 1892), in Ward 3 of Cambridge, Maryland, an area defined by Maryland’s Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) as being in a Sustainable Community as well as a Priority Funding Area.  A Sustainable Community is designated as a priority for state resources targeted at holistic strategies for community development, revitalization and sustainability.

According to the U.S. Census (2022), the homeownership rate in Cambridge is 44.2%, which is significantly lower than the statewide rate of 64.8%. More families are renting their homes in Cambridge rather than building equity through homeownership. The median household income in Cambridge is $44,114. This is less than half of the State of Maryland median income at $98,461 and significantly lower than Dorchester County’s median income of $57,490. Poverty rates are 22.3% in Cambridge. This is almost double that of the U.S. poverty rate of 11.5%.

“The need for affordable housing in the City of Cambridge is great”, said JoAnn Hansen, Habitat Choptank’s Chief Executive Officer. “The price of homes is outpacing the income of people in our community, and the affordable housing stock just isn’t available. The Cardin Way project will provide high quality and affordable homes at a time of great need. We can’t thank our funders enough for helping make this neighborhood a reality.”

The infrastructure for the neighborhood is nearly completed, and housing construction has begun on the first four homes, with two additional homes starting in the coming months. Top home construction supporters include the recently announced Community Legacy funding by DHCD, the Greater Healthy Homes Initiative (GHHI), and Maryland’s Community Investment Tax Credits program.

Other funders that support the overall project include Shore United Bank, the Todd Fund, PNC Foundation, Campbell Foundation, State Farm, M&T Bank, and Bank of America.

For more information, contact Jenny Schmidt at development@habitatchoptank.org or 410-476-3204 ext. 308.

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About Habitat Choptank

Since 1992, Habitat Choptank has made homeownership possible for 129 families and has completed critical health and safety repairs in partnership with over 400 qualifying homeowners. Income qualifying homebuyers are offered access to affordable mortgage financing in order to purchase new construction or rehabbed home for our project inventory.

Habitat Choptank’s mission is to work in partnership with God and all people to build, rehab, and repair homes, improve the quality of life in communities and help to restore hope in the lives of those we serve. We build strength, stability and self-reliance through shelter. We envision a world where everyone has a safe and affordable place to live, beginning with the eradication of poverty in blighted neighborhoods in Dorchester and Talbot Counties.