PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICE

Glorian D. Dorsey, Director

45 Calvert St.
Annapolis 21401 Telephone: 974-2051

The Public Information Office serves as the De-
partment's liaison with the news media and public
relations personnel. The Office disseminates infor-
mation to the news media, plans special events to
promote Departmental programs, and helps to
produce Departmental publications.

MARYLAND HOUSING POLICY
COMMISSION

Chairperson: Vacancy
Members: ten vacancies

Ex officio: Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr., President
of the Senate; R. Clayton Mitchell, Jr., Speaker of
the House of Delegates.

45 Calvert St.
Annapolis 21401 Telephone: 974-2468

Created in 1983, the Maryland Housing Policy
Commission helps the Secretary of Housing and
Community Development identify ways to in-
crease housing supply and ownership opportuni-
ties for low and moderate income people (Chapter
668, Acts of 1983).

The Commission develops, adopts, and annually
updates a State housing plan, issues a policy and
needs statement, and assesses Departmental
progress in implementing them. The Commission
recommends to the Secretary innovative programs
for building, financing, insuring, and managing
housing for families, elderly citizens, and others
not adequately served by the private market. It al-
so assists the Secretary in creating a public infor-
mation service to bring available housing re-
sources to the attention of those in need.

As an advocate of the housing needs of low and
moderate income people, the Commission appears
before federal agencies, Congress, and the General
Assembly. It also encourages and aids local gov-
ernment efforts to develop mutual and cooperative
solutions to common housing problems.

The Commission consists of eleven members ap-
pointed by the Governor to four-year terms. The

President of the Senate and Speaker of the House
of Delegates, or their designees, serve as nonvot-
ing members. The chairperson and vice-chairper-
son are designated by the Governor (Code 1957,
Art. 41B, sees. 8-101 through 8-105).

DIVISION OF HOUSING FINANCE

45 Calvert St.
Annapolis 21401 Telephone: 974-3161

The Division of Housing Finance was estab-
lished in 1987 (Senate Bill no. 699). Within the
Division, the Community Development Adminis-
tration administers the Maryland Home Financ-
ing Program, the Maryland Housing Reha-
bilitation Program, the Homeowners' Emergency
Mortgage Assistance Program, the Rental Hous-
ing Production Program, and the Elderly Rental
Housing Program. The Division also is served by
the Housing Finance Review Committee.

HOUSING FINANCE REVIEW
COMMITTEE

Chairperson: Vacancy
Public members: two vacancies

Department members: Vacancy, Secretary of
Housing and Community Development; Gerald T.
Thorpe; two vacancies.

45 Calvert St.
Annapolis 21401 Telephone: 974-2468

The Housing Finance Review Committee was
created in 1983 (Chapter 668, Acts of 1983). The
Committee reviews specific loan requests or cate-
gories of loan requests, and the investment and
project financing policies of the Division of Hous-
ing Finance. After review, the Committee makes
its recommendations to the Secretary of Housing
and Community Development.

Appointed by the Governor, the Committee
consists of seven members. Three are Department
employees; two are public members who serve
four-year terms; one is a public member who is
the chairperson of the Maryland Housing Policy
Commission; and one is an employee of the execu-
tive branch of State government who is not em-
ployed by the Department (Code 1957, Art. 41B,
sec. 2-202).