Category: Senior citizens Page 1 of 4

At next week’s meeting, the City Council will consider two important action plans for our senior community. (a) Aging In Place home repair program guidelines and agreement with the Habitat for Humanity and (b) AARP Livable action plan. Please see more on these two agenda items below:

Aging in Place Home Repair Program Guidelines and Agreement with Habitat for Humanity

The City Council allocated $300k from ARPA for a home repair program to assist low-income senior homeowners. Staff worked with Habitat for Humanity to develop program guidelines. The Council prioritized seniors living in Lakeland, low-income, and long-time homeowners. Habitat will manage the program with a 10% administrative charge. City staff will provide assistance to applicants, and reports will be submitted monthly. The program will begin on July 1, 2023, and end by December 31, 2026. Only ARPA funding is committed at this time. The City Manager will sign the Operating Agreement and ARPA Sub-Recipient Agreement. At this week’s meeting, the Council will consider approving the program.

Discussion of AARP Livable Community Action Plan

In September 2020, the Mayor and City Council of the City of College Park adopted a resolution to support the city’s application for membership in AARP’s network of age-friendly communities. As a member of this network, College Park created an action plan that addresses various goals to improve the quality of life for seniors, students, and other residents. The city applied for funding from the Prince George’s County Planning Department’s PAMC program to create the action plan, which was approved in May 2021.

Community participation was solicited during the creation of the action plan, and five priority action areas were identified: Housing, Transportation, Communication and Information, Social Participation and Health Services, and Community. The draft Action Plan was presented to the Mayor and Council in June 2022 and received additional stakeholder and staff feedback. The City plans to submit the adopted Action Plan to AARP by June 5, 2023, and implement recommendations over the next three years, ending in June 2026.

The Action Plan will be a working document that guides and prioritizes actions to increase College Park’s livability score.

At next week’s meeting, the City Council will provide feedback and guidance on the final action plan and addendum as presented by the Senior Advisory Community Livable Community Subcommittee so that plan can be adopted and submitted to AARP

The Elderly Tax Credit Application is now available; click here for a fillable application to print. An online portal will be available soon to electronically submit the application.

As of July 1, 2023, for up to five years, Prince George’s County will provide up to 20 percent of the County portion of your tax bill if you meet specific criteria. This amount will include any Homeowners and Homestead Credit you receive.

This new credit, effective July 1, 2023, will provide up to a 20% credit of the County property taxes, inclusive of any Homeowners and Homestead Tax Credit, for up to 5 years.

Applications will be made available in Spring 2023. To be eligible, you must meet the following criteria:
1.Age 65 and over, AND
2.Own and reside at property for which credit is sought for at least the previous 10 years, AND
3.The assessed value does not exceed $500,000 at the time of application, AND
4.The application is made by October 1 of the fiscal year the credit is sought

For information about other tax credits, visit call 301-952-2500.

If you are 62+ and live in College Park, the Seniors Program offers five trips starting in April. Some of the trips are free; others cost up to $25. See the schedule below.

April 29
Old Town Trolley DC Tour & Lunch $15

May 11
Publik Playhouse and Platinum Film: Amazing Grace FREE

May 24
Senior Health Day at the Brandywine Aquatic And Recreation Complex FREE

June 21
Baltimore Aquarium and Lunch Cruise $20

July 28
Kennedy Center: The Lion King $25

To request a registration form, contact Angie Burns at 240-487-3614.

Aging-in-place [photo credit: philanthropynewsdigest.org]

The program will offer residents of 62 years of age or older maximum grants of $30,000 for repairs that will improve the accessibility of the occupants, improve the energy efficiency of the home, or provide decent, safe and sanitary housing. These repairs will make the occupant’s life easier, all they have to do is to look for experts like a septic repair company.

The applicant must be an owner occupant with a minimum one-year residency and have a total annual household income not to exceed 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) as defined by HUD. The City may prioritize applicants with incomes under 50% AMI.

The Council previously allocated $300,000 from its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State and Local dollars.

Program expenditures are anticipated to begin on July 1, 2023, and be completed by December 31, 2026, the ARPA deadline. Only ARPA funding is committed to the program at this time.

City staff have worked closely with Habitat for Humanity Metro Maryland (Habitat) staff to develop an Operating Agreement and Program Guidelines for the City of College Park’s Aging in Place Home Repair Program modeled after similar local programs operated by Habitat.

Last summer, we heard the news about the senior property tax credit legislation passed by the County Council. In recent weeks, seniors have been asking when and how to apply.

The Treasury will roll out information about how to apply by early April, with applications available by the end of April.

There will be a web portal for homeowners to apply online.

Paper applications will be available on the forms page located here.

This new credit, effective July 1, 2023, will provide up to a 20% credit of the County property taxes, inclusive of any Homeowners and Homestead Tax Credit, for up to 5 years.

To be eligible, you must meet the following criteria:

1. Age 65 and over, AND
2. Own and reside at the property for which credit is sought for at least the previous 10 years, AND
3. The assessed value does not exceed $500,000 at the time of application, AND
4. The application is made by October 1 of the fiscal year the credit is sought.

For example, if you apply for the credit for 2023, you MUST submit your application by October 1, 2023.

To check your assessed value, visit here.

If you have difficulty accessing your information, try using a different browser, such as Firefox, Chrome, or Explorer.

[From the office of CM Dernoga]

New legislation, CB-029-2022, becomes effective July 1, 2023. This new tax credit has four specifications, all of which must be met to qualify for the tax credit:

1. Be 65 or over
2. Own and reside in the property for which you seek a tax credit, for a minimum of the previous 10 years
3. The home’s assessed value does not exceed $500,00 at the time of application
4. The application must be made by October 1 of the fiscal year the credit is sought

For example, if you apply for the credit for 2023, you MUST make your application by October 1, 2023. Applications will be available in Spring 2023.

To check your assessed value, visit: SDAT: Real Property Data Search< (maryland.gov)

If you have difficulty accessing your information, use a different browser, Firefox, Chrome or Explorer.

[Source: CM Dernoga’s office]

On March 14, 2022, M-NCPPC and the University of Baltimore Jacob France Institute/Artemel & Associates consultant team, with the assistance of the City staff, conducted a virtual community meeting. The purpose of the meeting was two-fold: to inform College Park community members of the project’s status, and most importantly, to gather input vital to developing the AARP Age-Friendly Action Plan.

The plan sets goals in the areas of housing, transportation, communication, social participation, and health services.

Priority housing goals identified by the community include (a) Additional affordable and “missing middle” housing, (b) Provision of multifamily housing with communal spaces and amenities, perhaps combined with a student housing component, (c) Cutting housing costs for seniors, who might’ve also consulted experts like those on the Burzynski Elder Law site; and (d) Assistance to seniors for home renovation and/or maintenance projects.

The priority transportation goals include: (a) Availability of safe, multimodal options, including sidewalks and bicycle trails, (b) Enhanced on-demand senior transportation, (c) Additional bus and UMD shuttle opportunities; and (d) Fulfilling the need for “last mile” transportation into residential neighborhoods.

The priority goals identified for communications and information are (a) Availability of publications in print format (b) Robocalls to residents for urgent information (c) Monthly city government outreach to residents via a hybrid Town Hall, and (d) Providing all information in Spanish as well as English.

With community input, priority goals for social participation are (a) Neighborhood events where residents can connect, (b) Partnering on events with nonprofit organizations (c) Access to a clearinghouse for continuing education and volunteering opportunities; and (d) A new, drop-in community center.

The priority health and community support goals were identified as (a) Addressing senior isolation through individual contacts and networking events, (b) Providing more services to more residents at more income levels, (c) Establishing a community meals program; and (d) Recreational opportunities at UMD and a new community center. After receiving input from the City Council, the consultant will finalize the Action Plan, and prepare a final presentation and infographic

City of College Park Senior Bus

There is no fee for College Park Seniors

The City of College Park Seniors Program offers curb-to-curb bus transportation to City residents aged 62 and older. A minimum 2- business day notice is required. Rides are provided as scheduling allows.

Priority is given for medical appointments and shopping within Prince George’s County, inside a 7- mile radius of the city.

COVID-19 Vaccines
Extended boundary transportation service may be scheduled to obtain the COVID-19 vaccine, within Prince George’s County, on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between the hours of 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. More limited service may be available for vaccines on Monday, Wednesday and Friday after 3:00 p.m.

Rides are subject to scheduling and capacity restrictions.

Please call the Seniors Program at 301-345-8100 to schedule or for more information.

[City of College Park]

At tonight’s meeting, the Council will consider a 5-year lease for Seniors Program office space at 10007 Rhode Island Ave, next to Gailes Violin Shop in north College Park.

Currently, the Seniors Staff is spread across 3 locations (Attick Towers, Spellman House, and United Methodist Church). Attick Towers has indicated that the space the Seniors Program occupies is needed by the Housing Authority.

As well, the office space the Seniors program occupies at the United Methodist Church is currently part of the space allocated to the Children’s Guild/Monarch Preschool’s space at the church and The Children’s Guild reserves the right to ask the Seniors Program to vacate the space if needed. City’s goal is to have the staff primarily located in one office space for cohesiveness and efficiency of workflow. Space for Senior Program activities is currently still available in the fellowship hall at United Methodist Church when gatherings.

The landlords have indicated that they would cover the cost of outfitting the space with partitions/office walls if the City enters into a 5 year lease; if not the cost of outfitting the space would be the responsibility of the City. The rent will be $1,500 per month, includes utilities, trash removal, char services, snow removal.