The Fund accomplishes these objectives
through a variety of innovative mortgage insur-
ance programs. These include the insurance of
single-family mortgage loans up to 100 percent of
purchase price, and the insurance of both con-
struction and permanent multi-family mortgage
loans. The Fund operates through a large number
of lending institutions across the State and
through local housing agencies (Code 1957, Art.
41B, sees. 3-201 through 3-205).

DIVISION OF COMMUNITY
ASSISTANCE

Gerald L. Thorpe, Director

45 Calvert St.
Annapolis 21401 Telephone: 974-2951

The Division of Community Assistance is
Maryland's comprehensive community develop-
ment agency. It was established to assist local
governments, nonprofit organizations, community
action agencies, and small private developers in
their efforts to implement particular programs.
These programs concern housing and community
services, commercial revitalization and local gov-
ernment technical assistance, energy management
needs, and building codes administration. The Di-
vision manages a variety of development, grant
and loan programs; serves as a liaison with local
government and regional organizations; and func-
tions both as a clearinghouse for State-federal pro-
grams and as a coordinating agency for State pro-
grams affecting local governments in Maryland
(Code 1957, Art. 41B, sec. 4-201).

Within the Division of Community Assistance
are the Office of Commercial Revitalization and
the Maryland Main Street Center, the Office of
Local Government Technical Assistance, the Of-
fice of Housing Assistance, the Community
Services Block Grant Program, the Small Cities
Community Development Block Grant Program,
the Weatherization Assistance Program, the
Building Codes Administration, and the Mary-
land Energy Office.

OFFICE OF COMMERCIAL
REVITALIZATION

William Walker, Jr., Director
Telephone: 974-3503

The Office of Commercial Revitalization pro-
vides assistance in the areas of commercial and in-
dustrial revitalization through the Maryland Main

Street Center. The Center offers planning, archi-
tectural, and financial assistance to communities
interested in revitalizing their downtown areas.
The Office administers the Commercial Develop-
ment Management Grant Program. This program
provides financial assistance to "local govern-
ments" and merchant associations that wish to es-
tablish downtown management authorities.

The Office also administers the State's Appa-
lachian Regional Commission Program so as to
ensure full use of Commission resources for hous-
ing, economic and community development
projects in Western Maryland.

OFFICE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT
TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

David Shultz, Chief
Telephone: 974-2951

The Office of Local Government Technical As-
sistance administers the Maryland Town Manager
Circuit Rider Grant Program. Through this pro-
gram professional managers serve several small
communities at once, thereby providing these
towns with an increased capability to meet their
citizens' needs. The Office also is responsible for
the Rural Development Program and a Joint
Funding Committee, which identify housing and
community development needs and coordinate
federal and State resources to meet those needs.
In addition, the Office carries out responsibilities
related to implementation of the Community De-
velopment Block Grant Small Cities Program.

To facilitate liaison and coordination with the
three western counties, the Division maintains the
Department's Western Maryland Regional Devel-
opment Office in Hagerstown.

OFFICE OF HOUSING ASSISTANCE

Penny Davis, Director
Telephone: 974-2718

The Office of Housing Assistance provides tech-
nical assistance as well as grants and loans to lo-
cal governments, small developers, and nonprofit
organizations to help provide housing of low and
moderate cost in Maryland communities. Among
its programs are the Maryland Appalachian
Housing Fund, the Home Maintenance and Re-
pair Program for low-income elderly and handi-
capped, and the Housing Assistance Program to
help nonprofit corporations with pre-construction