Did You Know About These HABC Homebuying Programs?

Every final Friday of the month, the Live Baltimore team takes time to explore and learn more about Baltimore City’s 279 neighborhoods and amenities, including recreation facilities, historic sites, local businesses, and other nonprofits. This installment of Final Friday took us to the Housing Authority of Baltimore City’s (HABC) Office of Homeownership and Office of Resident Services, located at 201 Aisquith Street, surrounded by the Jonestown, Washington Hill, Dunbar-Broadway, and Oldtown neighborhoods. Here’s what we learned about some of HABC’s Office of Homeownership’s services and programs.

For more than twenty years, HABC has facilitated homeownership opportunities for residents of Public Housing and the Housing Choice Voucher Program. The main homeownership programs are the Scattered-Sites and Housing Choice Voucher Homeownership Programs. Recently, they introduced a Homebuyer Readiness Training Program along with essential assistance for closing costs, which serves as crucial elements in preparing families for homeownership. Keep reading to learn more about these programs!

1. The Buyer Readiness Training Program equips HABC families to explore homeownership and develop the skills to purchase and maintain a home. This coaching and mentoring initiative features action plans aimed at removing barriers to homeownership for minorities, along with educational sessions that cover preparation, stress management, expectations, and the responsibilities of being a homeowner.

2. The Housing Choice Voucher Homeownership Program enables families with tenant-based vouchers and veterans with Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Vouchers to buy homes in the open market. It uniquely converts the monthly rental assistance provided to families into monthly homeownership assistance, which is used to help families pay their mortgage loans. Additionally, properties purchased through this program must be located in Baltimore City and pass several inspections.

3. The Scattered-Sites Homeownership Program helps eligible applicants take the leap toward homeownership. A scattered site is a property HABC owns and is listed under the Public Housing program. These HABC-owned properties can be found in various neighborhoods throughout Baltimore City. The Scattered-Sites Homeownership Program allows residents living in HABC scattered sites to purchase their current residence from HABC. The Scattered-Site Homeownership Program may also be stacked with the Live Baltimore Buy Back the Block Program, which offers homebuyers grants of up to $20,000 toward their purchase! If you are a resident of an HABC scattered site and are interested in purchasing your home, take the eligibility quiz to see if you’re eligible.

Many will hear the acronym “HABC” and only think of public housing, but much more work is involved in the Housing Authority of Baltimore City and its impact on the community. To assist families in their journey toward homeownership, HABC’s Office of Resident Services offers a range of comprehensive and effective services designed to provide residents with the necessary resources to achieve and maintain economic independence and self-sufficiency.  The six focus areas include Economic Mobility, Personal Empowerment and Supportive Services, Senior Support Services, Youth Development, Digital Access and Inclusion, and Family Wellness.

To learn more about exciting homeownership opportunities offered by HABC, contact their Office of Homeownership at 410.396.4175.

Photos sourced from the Housing Authority of Baltimore City.