State Funds to Upgrade Seven Oaks Senior Center

State Senator Carl Jackson announced a $100,000 state investment on April 2 for security and technology upgrades at four Baltimore County senior centers, including Seven Oaks Senior Center in Perry Hall. The funding was secured through the 2026 Senate Legislative Bond Initiatives, according to a local announcement and a Maryland General Assembly bond fact sheet. Seven Oaks is one of four centers named for the work, alongside Parkville, Overlea-Fullerton and Victory Villa. The project is aimed at electrical, security and entry-system improvements rather than a broader building overhaul. ### How much money is tied to Seven Oaks? The Maryland bond initiative lists a requested amount of $100,000 for the project, but the documents reviewed do not break out a separate allocation for Seven Oaks alone. The April 2 announcement from Jackson’s office said the money would be used across all four senior centers in Maryland’s 8th District. That means Seven Oaks will share in the funding, but the state fact sheet does not specify how much of the total will go to Perry Hall. ### What exactly will the state money pay for? The 2026 bond fact sheet says the money is for “security and technology enhancements” and describes work on electrical and security infrastructure at the four centers. The same document says the project includes modernizing electrical systems, enhancing security features and installing key-card access. Jackson’s April 2 announcement said the improvements would focus on center entrances while also covering broader technology needs inside the buildings. The state filing names the County Executive and County Council of Baltimore County as the grantee organization and says the funds would support the Baltimore County Department of Aging. ### Is this an accessibility and amenities project? The state documents reviewed for this story do not describe the Seven Oaks funding as a general amenities or accessibility package. The Maryland General Assembly fact sheet frames the project as capital work tied to security, electrical infrastructure and controlled entry. Jackson’s announcement also describes the investment in terms of safety and modernization for older residents using the centers. ### Why is Seven Oaks part of this project? Seven Oaks Senior Center is located at 9210 Seven Courts Drive in Perry Hall and serves Perry Hall, White Marsh and neighboring communities, according to Baltimore County’s website. Baltimore County says the center provides activities, programs and services for members age 60 and older and their families. Its current schedule includes fitness classes, crafts, music programs, support groups and other recurring activities, showing the center’s role as a regular service hub for older adults in the area. ### Where does this fit in Maryland’s senior-center funding system? Maryland’s Department of Aging operates a Senior Citizen Activities Centers capital grant program that helps local governments pay for planning, renovation, improvement and capital equipping of senior centers. A 2024 state capital budget analysis says the program is funded entirely with general obligation bonds. The same analysis says projects generally must cost at least $100,000 to be considered, and local governments are typically required to match state funds on a dollar-for-dollar basis, though the Board of Public Works can approve exceptions in some cases. ### What happens next? The next step is project administration by Baltimore County, which is identified in the bond documents as the grantee for the senior-center upgrades. The clearest public record for the work is Maryland’s 2026 bond initiative fact sheet for “Senior Center Security and Technology Enhancements,” which names Seven Oaks among the four centers included in the $100,000 request. Baltimore County’s Department of Aging continues to list Seven Oaks programs and events on its public center page as the funding moves toward implementation.