Howard County, MD – Today, Arinze for Howard County Council District 2 released its first white paper, “Serve America, Protect Our Future: A Plan to Energize Howard County’s Economy by Investing in Secure Facility Construction.” In keeping with his plan to increase economic opportunity in Howard County, Arinze’s proposal outlines a framework to attract jobs to Howard County through the subsidized, phased construction of up to 500,000 square feet of Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) space over a seven-year period.

SCIFs are secure facilities used by federal agencies and defense contractors to perform classified work on behalf of the U.S. Government. These facilities are essential for safeguarding national security. By proactively building SCIF space, Howard County would meet a consistently growing demand, attract federal tenants and defense contractors, create high-paying jobs for residents, and generate long-term tax revenue at a time when county revenues have stalled.

“Howard County is already all-in for Cyber Security. My plan adds an infrastructure component so that the business growth we are encouraging in the County has the available secure facility space to carry out highly classified work on behalf of our national security interests,” said Arinze Ifekauche, Candidate for Howard County Council District 2. “Our neighbors in Anne Arundel County are pursuing a similar strategy. It is time we get in on the action as the federal government doubles down on its DoD spending.”

Last week, Arinze released his platform for a thriving local economy.  It is predicated on his belief that Howard County—long regarded as a bedroom community—is overly reliant on employers in D.C., Baltimore, and at Ft. Meade. That is why Arinze is focused on attracting new major employers to Howard County through aggressive and strategic outreach to the private sector.

According to Greg Prossner, Senior Vice President of COPT Defense Properties, “There is a lot of demand for SCIF space from defense contractors, especially in the area of cybersecurity. The Department of Defense budget for cybersecurity has increased roughly 50 percent over the past five years, which has created a tremendous tailwind for small and large cyber contractors, especially in the submarkets near Fort Meade, Maryland, which is home to U.S. Cyber Command.”

Arinze’s proposal details how phased construction would allow approximately ~71,000 square feet of SCIF space to be built each year, with facilities leased as soon as they are completed. Leasing revenues would immediately be reinvested into the program to lower the overall cost of construction from $150M to $71.2M (assuming full occupancy at the completion of each construction phase). The plan would pay back the taxpayers’ principal investment in just eight (8) years while setting up the County to receive in excess of $200M in cumulative leasing revenue by year 15.

In fact, Howard County is uniquely positioned to benefit from this investment. Located between Washington, D.C. and Fort Meade—and in close proximity to the National Security Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, and the Pentagon—the county is already home to more than 50,000 federal employees. Despite a strong base in technology and innovation, economic growth in Howard County has remained relatively flat. SCIF development would fortify the economy, attract anchor employers, and expand opportunities for residents in cybersecurity, defense, and intelligence industries.

This is not just an infrastructure project, but an economic catalyst. With thoughtful execution, Howard County can become a magnet for federal dollars, private-sector investment, and 21st-century jobs. 

Arinze (ah-wren-zay) Ifekauche (if-uh-koo-chey) is a 39-year-old political strategist who has spent nearly two decades working in public policy and grassroots organizing on Capitol Hill, as well as State and Local government. Now, as a policy and communications staffer at the Governor's Office of Crime Prevention & Policy, Arinze fights to keep our neighborhoods—and children—safe.

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