Welcome to Howard County Housing

Howard County Housing (HCH) is your first stop when looking to buy or rent a home in Howard County. HCH’s mission is to provide affordable, quality, safe, and sustainable housing opportunities for low-and moderate-income families living or working in the County, and has sought to maintain a balance of housing types and prices to serve the full spectrum of residents.

Homeownership Programs

Almost all for-sale units in the County are constructed by private entities with no government involvement other than zoning and subdivision regulations. However, the HCH does attempt to directly influence affordability through limited involvement in special homeownership programs. The current program menu is as follows:

  • Rehabilitation Loans -  This program provides loans to homeowners to repair and bring their homes up to current standards.  Loans can be made for sewer and water extensions, new roofs, heating systems or other uses to make a unit decent, safe and sanitary.
  • Settlement Downpayment Loan Program (SDLP) -  This program provides down payment and closing cost assistance to first-time homebuyers for owner-occupied home purchases up to $429,620 in Howard County. The SDLP loan limits of up to $40,000 are based on household income. Buyers must invest a minimum of $1000 into the transaction and have reserves of at least 1 month’s mortgage payment. All loan payments are deferred and interest rates are 2% below the primary mortgage rate.
  • Moderate Income Housing Unit (MIHU) -  This is an inclusionary zoning program that requires developers of new housing in certain zoning districts to sell or rent a portion of the dwelling units built to moderate income households. This program offers quality new homes at reduced prices and rent to eligible families. Rents range from $1,154 to $1,375. Sales prices range from $121,000 for a condominium to $228,000 for a townhome. Prices vary depending on the size and amenities of the home.
  • Housing Choice Voucher for Homeownership Program -  This program offers eligible participants (voucher holder for 2 years & FSSP participant for 6 months), in good standing, the opportunity to purchase a home using their voucher.
  • “Live Howard County” -  This program promotes the benefits of living and working in Howard County such as greater job satisfaction, shorter commute times and a sense of community. The program provides affordable homeownership opportunities for individuals and families that live or work in Howard County. Assistance is provided in the form of a second mortgage held by HCH and known as a Permanently Affordable Housing Covenant.

 

Rental Programs

The most diverse communities offer housing choices that accommodate the needs of families of all sizes and all income levels. The cornerstone of such an accommodation is affordability. The current rental program menu is as follows:

  • Housing Choice Voucher Program – Formerly Section 8, this program is funded and regulated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which allocates federal funds to public housing authorities that administer subsidy to lower income families via a housing voucher. The program assists low income families, the elderly and disabled in obtaining affordable, decent and safe housing. Participating families choose their own unit, (e.g. single-family, townhouses or apartments) and pay 30% of their adjusted gross income toward rent. The voucher is a family’s vehicle to affordable housing options and access to housing that support self-sufficiency activities in areas such as education, employment and other community amenities.
  • Rental Allowance Program (RAP) – This program is funded and regulated by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, providing grants to local governments to assist low-income families that are homeless or experiencing a housing emergency. Assistance is provided in the form of fixed, short-term monthly rent subsidies and case management to help families achieve permanent, stable housing. Participating families find their own units (e.g. rooms for rent, apartments, townhomes, single-family homes or mobile homes) and pay the balance of the rent not covered by the flat rent subsidy.
  • Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program – This program is funded by the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 and regulated by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development to assist families that are homeless or would otherwise be homeless if not for this aid. Assistance is provided in the form of fixed, short-term monthly rental subsidies and case management to help families achieve permanent, stable housing. Participating families find their own units (e.g. rooms for rent, apartments, townhomes, single-family homes or mobile homes) and pay the balance of the rent not covered by the flat rent subsidy.
  • County Rental Housing – These units are owned and regulated by HCH to provide affordable, decent and safe housing opportunities for low-to-moderate income County residents. The family’s monthly rent payment varies and is based on the family’s gross income, unit size and current rent structure. A variety of unit types are available including family and elderly multi-dwelling apartments and scattered site condominiums, townhomes, single-family homes.
  • Public Housing – This program is funded and regulated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) which allocates federal funds to public housing authorities that lease and manage affordable, decent and safe rental units to low-income families, the elderly, and disabled. Public housing units are often multi-dwelling communities but also include scattered site single-family homes, townhouses, duplexes and condominiums.

For more information about these and other programs contact us at (410) 313-6318.