Fenton Village Inc. has received a grant that will allow it to install safety improvements in portions of the six- by two-block business area deemed to be unsafe, the organization announced.
Maryland Community Safety Works program grant in the amount of $42,460 will be used to install lighting in the alley between Silver Spring Avenue and Thayer Avenue and for security cameras for small businesses bordering the alley, the group said.
The alley is “too dark to navigate safely at night and attracts illegal activity,” according to the announcement.
“This grant will help ensure the safety of our employees and patrons,” Susan Peterkin-Bishop, president of Fenton Village Inc., said in the announcement. “Our small businesses need this financial assistance for cameras, as two years of the pandemic has strained their resources.”
Selected businesses that do not have adequate security cameras, or any at all, will have them installed and will monitor them on their own.
The work is expected to de done in stages over several months, with lighting being the first priority.
The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development administers the grant and intends to have contracts for awardees this month.
Screenshot from Fenton Village website