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Commissioners de‑obligate most of $1.1M state 'HomeStretch' broadband grant after eligibility changes
Summary
Calvert County held a public hearing and voted to de‑obligate $1,052,815.73 of a $1.1 million HomeStretch Connect Maryland award after the state reduced eligible addresses; staff said the amended award covers 22 homes and roughly 60 still lack service due to easement or access issues.
The Board of County Commissioners on Oct. 7 approved a resolution to execute a grant amendment that reduces Calvert County's HomeStretch Connect Maryland state award from $1,100,000 to $47,184.27 after the Office of Statewide Broadband tightened eligibility rules.
Ashley Staples Reed, special project program manager in the county administrator's office, told the board the change was triggered after OSB introduced additional eligibility requirements for the addresses the county submitted, substantially reducing the number of qualifying homes and the county's allocation. She said the original award required a $550,000 county match and that a fully executed grant agreement had been in place since November 2024. "This grant is only gonna be servicing 22 homes," she said, and staff noted there remain about 60 scattered addresses that are not yet connected because of easement and right‑of‑way constraints.
Commissioners discussed program history, noting the county first began broadband grant efforts around 2018 and connected several hundred homes after subsequent COVID and ARPA funding waves. Commissioners voted to close the public‑hearing record and adopt the proposed budget amendment to de‑obligate $1,052,815.73 in state funds and authorize the board president to execute the amendment.
