Employer-Based Assistance

Baltimore City BRAC Homeownership Incentive

If you are relocating to the Greater Baltimore region due to the Federal Base Realignment and Closure initiative (BRAC) and are considering Baltimore City as your new home, check out this great homebuying incentive. 

What are the benefits?
Eligible candidates will receive a total of $6,000 in downpayment and closing cost assistance!  This incentive is offered by the Maryland State Department of Housing and Community Development (MD DHCD) and Baltimore Housing with marketing support from Live Baltimore. 

What else do I need to know?
You must participate in the "Buying into Baltimore" event, offered twice annually, and receive the affiliated $3,000 downpayment and closing cost assistance award.  This $3,000 is then matched by the State for $3,000 in the form of a 0% deferred loan, repayable at refinance or sale of home.
Full eligiblity requirements can be found here.

For more information, contact:
Steven Gondol
Live Baltimore
Phone: 410.637.3750
Email: brac@livebaltimore.com

Baltimore City Employee Homeownership Program

The Baltimore City Employee Homeownership program is designed to help the employees of City agencies and quasi-city agencies become homeowners in the City.

What are the benefits?
Up to $3,000 forgivable loan provided with a 5-year term reducing 20% for each year of occupancy ($3,750 for puchase in Healthy Neighborhood, which must be mentioned at time of application).
 

What else do I need to know?
Buyer must be employed and paid by the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore City for minimum of six months.
Buyer must purchase a property within Baltimore City.
Buyer must occupy the property as primary residence.
Eligible properties are: single family house, 1 to 2 dwelling unit, or condominium.
Only one City employee per household may receive assistance.
Employee must invest a minumum of $1,000 from personal funds.
Buyer must obtain a homeownership counseling certificate from a City-approved housing counseling agency.
The mortgage loan may not exceed $417,000.

These neighborhoods are ineligible for this award:
Bellona-Gittings, Blythewood, Canton, Cedarcroft, Cross Keys, Evergreen, Federal Hill, Guilford, Hunting Ridge, Homeland, Homeland-Gallagher, Kernwood, Keswick, Lake Evesham, Loyola, Mount Washington, North Roland Park, Otterbein, Original Northwood, Roland Park, Rosebank, Sabina-Mattfeldt, Ten Hills, The Orchards, Tuscany-Canterbury, and Wyndhurst.

For more information, contact:
Baltimore Housing
Office of Homeownership
417 E. Fayette St., Suite 1125
Baltimore, MD 21202
Phone: 410.396.3124
Website: www.baltimorehousing.org

House Keys 4 Employees

This is a Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) settlement assistance program, in which the state matches funds contributed by a participating employer.

What are the benefits?
The State of Maryland will match participating employer contributions and other local award monies up to $5,000.
Funds are to be used for downpayment and closing costs assistance in the form of a 0% deferred loan (repayment of funds is triggered by sale, transfer or refinance of house).
Funds from Baltimore City incentive programs (Buying into Baltimore, for example) will also be matched by this program, up to a $5,000 total match.

What else do I need to know?
Employers must be a designated House Keys participant and may stipulate eligibility criteria in addition to Maryland requirements. For a complete list of participating employers, click here.  Ask your Human Resources Department if your employer participates in House Keys 4 Employees or have them contact DHCD to become a member.
Buyer must use a Community Development Administration (CDA) mortgage, and must therefore meet the CDA limits on income and home aquisition cost.
Buyers must receive homeownership counseling.
Participants may use other incentive awards totaling more than $5,000, but Maryland will not match funds past the initial $5,000.

For more information, contact:
Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development
Phone: 1.800.638.7781
Website: www.mmprogram.com

Smart Keys 4 Employees

This Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) settlement assistance program expands on the House Keys 4 Employees program to contribute additional funding to borrowers living near their place of employment.

What are the benefits?
Funds are to be used for downpayment and closing costs assistance in the form of a 0% deferred loan.
The State of Maryland will match participating employer contributions and other local award monies up to $5,000.

What else do I need to know?
Buyers must be within 10 miles of their place of employment or work in the city.
Program is subject to the same requirements as the House Keys 4 Employees Program listed above.
Buyers must receive homeownership counseling.

For more information, contact:
Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development
Phone: 1.800.638.7781
Website: www.mmprogram.com

Live Near Your Work

The Baltimore City Live Near Your Work Program is a partnership between employers and the City of Baltimore. The purpose of the program is to provide direct financial assistance for eligible employees' first home purchase in Baltimore city and to encourage homeownership near the place of employment.

What are the benefits?
A minimum $2,000 grant or conditional grant to employees for settlement and closing costs to purchase homes in targeted neighborhoods near their employers. Baltimore City will contribute up to $1,000 per employee, which will be matched by the participating employer.

What else do I need to know?
Buyers are required to contribute a minimum of $1,000 cash toward the purchase of their home.
Buyer must occupy the property as primary residence.
Buyers are required to attend City-approved homeownership counseling.
The policies and procedures of Baltimore Housing's Office of Homeownership are applicable to this program.
Employers have the right to create additional eligibility requirements and program benefits, as well as program restrictions, for their employees.

** Employees of Johns Hopkins University and Johns Hopkins Medical System are eligible for the expanded JH LNYW program.  Benefits up to $17,000 are available in specific targeted areas, and employees are urged to visit www.jhu.edu/lnyw for program boundaries, applications, and other information. 

For a list of participating employers, click here.

If your employer participates in this program, contact your Human Resource office for eligiblity and application information. 
For more information about the program, contact:
Baltimore Housing
Office of Homeownership
417 E. Fayette St., Suite 1125
Baltimore, MD 21202
Phone: 410.396.3124
Website: www.baltimorehousing.org

If your employer is not currently participating in this program, have your Human Resources Officer contact Baltimore Housing for more information.  Employers must apply and be approved to participate in the Baltimore City Live Near Your Work Program. It is required that each employer provide matching grant funds and define the designated boundaries, which must be within Baltimore City limits. The employers are also responsible for accepting employee applications, verifying employment and determining the eligibility requirements for the program.