Department of Housing and Community Development

The Department of Housing and Community Development works to provide affordable housing opportunities for low and moderate income residents of Howard County.

The Department administers a range of Federal, State, and County funded programs providing opportunities for affordable home ownership, loans and grants for special needs housing programs, rental assistance, community facilities, and programs.

The Department also owns and manages residential property, maintains these properties, provides loans for settlement and downpayment assistance, assists in home ownership preparedness, operates the Community Development Block Grant, Community Legacy, and the HOME program.

Affordable housing in Howard County is addressed by two entities - the Department of Housing and Community Development and the Howard County Housing Commission. The information that follows provides information about these two entities as well as the Department's advisory board - the HCD Board and the Board of Commissioners.

The Howard County Housing Commission

The Housing Commission which is a separate legal entity which serves as the Public Housing Authority for the purpose of developing and managing housing resources for low and moderate income residents of Howard County. The Commission also owns and manages residential property, maintains these properties, develops affordable housing opportunties for the citizens of Howard County through partnerships with developers or land acquisition for development, and operates the Housing Choice Voucher Program.

The Housing and Community Development Board

The Board serves as an advisory board to the Department of Housing and Community Development.