Provided certain conditions are met, this law provides a ten year, eighty percent (80%) annual tax credit against county personal property taxes for a newly constructed or substantially renovated grocery store located in a healthy food priority area. For purposes of the credit, a healthy food priority area is an area A) designated by County Council resolution with concurrence of the County Executive as a healthy food priority area due to a combination of the following factors: "(i)Limited availability of fresh fruit, vegetables, and other healthy food options in the designated area; (ii) A presence of a significant number or share of low-income residents in the designated area; (iii) Limited transportation options or access for local residents, including limited access to public transit, in the designated area; (iv) Comments from municipal governments, if applicable; and (v) Any other factors that the County Council and the County Executive determine are relevant" or (B) designated by Council resolution with concurrence of the County Executive as a healthy food priority area due to a vacancy created by a departed grocery store.
This policy may correspond to diet-related strategies identified by the County Health Rankings’ What Works for Health tool, including:
For research on the potential effectiveness, please review the category links above.
We understand that this information is not comprehensive. It also does not include other important forms of evidence such as community members’ lived experiences and practice-based evidence.
See, e.g., references to "low-income residents" "county-based minority business enterprise," and "diversity division." §§ 10-235.6(a)(3)(A)(ii), (b)(1)(C), and (b)(2)(B).
See, e.g., references to "healthy food priority area" and " fresh fruit, vegetables, and other healthy food options" § 10-235.6(a)(3).
The law includes references to "transit" and "public transportation," but only with respect to areas where their availability is limited.§ 10-235.6(a)(3)(A)(iii).
See, e.g., references to "tax credit" and "minimum wage," and this language: "at least 50% of the annual work hours at the grocery store shall be worked by residents domiciled in Prince George's County, Maryland." § 10-235.6(b)(2).
§ 10-235.6(a).