About Our Grants
Our Department receives funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and local funding and administers those grants to non-profits who work directly with residents of Howard County. The County receives Community Development Block Grants (CDBG); Home Investment Partnership (HOME) funds; MIHU Fee-in-Lieu and Housing Opportunities Trust Fund.

Notices, Reports and Plans
Public Notice for Review and Comment - Draft 5 Year Consolidated Plan / 2025 Action Plan
PUBLIC NOTICE
Notice Of Public Hearings
and Public Review and Comment Period
DRAFT Five Year Consolidated Plan and 2025 Annual Action Plan
Notice Date: June 26, 2025
The Howard County Department of Housing and Community Development invites all interested citizens to attend one of the following public hearings to obtain your comments on the Draft 2025-2029 Consolidated Plan/2025 Action Plan. The 30-day Public Review and Comment Period begins on July 1 and ends on July 31, 2025. The Draft Consolidated Plan and draft 2025 Annual Action Plan with proposed budget will be available for review from July 1 – July 31, 2025 at DHCD offices, 9820 Patuxent Woods Dr., Suite 224, Columbia, MD 21046 and on the County website at https://www.howardcountymd.gov/DHCD-Grants.
Howard County submits these plans to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to receive Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) funds. The County also submits the first of five Annual Action Plans (AAP) as part of the yearly application for HUD funding. These federal investments increase housing stability through a mix of essential housing and community development programs and projects, primarily benefiting low- to moderate-income residents.
Dates and Locations
Thursday, July 10, 2025 8:00am – 9:30am
Dept. of Housing and Community Development, Rm. 211
9820 Patuxent Woods Dr., Suite 224, Columbia, MD 21046
Monday, July 21, 2025 7:00pm
County Council Legislative Public Hearing, Banneker Room
George Howard Building, 3430 Court House Dr Ste 100, Ellicott City, Md 21043
Wednesday, July 23, 2025 6:00pm – 7:30pm
Dept. of Housing and Community Development, Rm. 211
9820 Patuxent Woods Dr., Suite 224, Columbia, MD 21046
If you cannot attend a Public Hearing, you can direct your written comments to Kim Zanti, Chief, Community Planning and Grants at kzanti@howardcountymd.gov or 9820 Patuxent Woods Drive, Ste. 224, Columbia, MD 21046. Written comments must be received no later than 5:00 pm on Thursday, July 31, 2025.
Efforts will be made to accommodate disabled, hearing impaired, and non-English speaking citizens. Sign language interpreter services will be available upon request with three (3) days advance notice to Quanita Kareem, Chief, Compliance Division, at 410-313-3386, or email qkareem@howardcountymd.gov.
HOME Investment Partnerships Program – American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP) Allocation Plan Second Amendment
Public Comment Period: May 23 - June 21, 2025
Public Hearing: Thursday, June 12, 2025, 6:00 – 7:00pm,
9820 Patuxent Woods Drive, Room 211, Columbia, MD 21046
The Howard County Department of Housing and Community Development invites all interested residents, community groups, agencies, and organizations to review and comment on the second amendment to the HOME-ARP Allocation Plan. An in-person public hearing will be held on Thursday, June 12, 2025.
In Fiscal Year 2021, Howard County was awarded $1,757,012.00 in HOME-ARP funds through a one-time allocation from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Allocation Plan is required by HUD for the County to utilize the HOME-ARP funding. The Plan outlines how funding will be used to assist individuals or households who are: 1) homeless 2) at risk of homelessness 3) fleeing or attempting to flee domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking or human trafficking 4) other families requiring services or housing assistance to prevent homelessness or those at greatest risk of housing instability. The second amendment to the plan is to amend the project budget to add an Architect and Engineering line item to specify design costs of the non-congregate shelter.
30-Day Comment Period and In-Person Public Hearing: The public will have the opportunity to review a copy of the amended HOME-ARP Allocation Plan from May 23 – June 21, 2025 by clicking below; by visiting Howard County Department of Housing and Community Development at 9820 Patuxent Woods Drive, Suite 224, Columbia, MD 21046 between 8:00am–5:00pm, Monday to Friday. The public will have an opportunity to comment on Howard County’s amended HOME-ARP Allocation Plan in-person on June 12, 2025, from 6:00pm – 7:00 pm at 9820 Patuxent Woods Drive, Room 211, Columbia, MD 21046.
Public comments regarding Howard County’s amended HOME-ARP Allocation Plan can be submitted via email, mail or fax no later than 11:59.99 pm on Saturday, June 21, 2025. To submit comments via email, contact Xavier Bishop, HOME Program Specialist at Xbishop@howardcountymd.gov. To submit comments via mail, send to Howard County Department of Housing and Community Development, 9820 Patuxent Woods Drive, Suite 224, Columbia, MD 21046. To submit comments via fax, use number 410-313-5960.
Efforts will be made to provide reasonable accommodations to community members with disabilities and offer translation services during the Public Hearing. Please submit a request with three (3) days advance notice to Quanita Kareem, Compliance Division Chief, at 410-313-3386 or email qkareem@howardcountymd.gov.
FFY2024 APPROVED ACTION PLAN
Please click below to read the FFY2024 Annual Action Plan.
WAVERLY WINDS
Please click the links below to read about Waverly Winds, a grant funded project.
Baltimore Regional Fair Housing Plan
This Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) updates the 2020 Plan in time for submission of the Department of Housing and Community Development's Consolidated Plan (2025-2029), mandated by HUD as a condition of receiving federal funds (CDBG, HOME). Click the link below to review.
Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER)
To complete the CDBG and HOME program year, the County reports annually on the progress it has made toward its Consolidate Plan goal in the Consolidate Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER). The CAPER describes Howard County’s affordable housing and community development activities carried out over the past program year running from July 1st through June 30th each year. The CAPER also provides the community a concise breakdown of the federal funds used for activities that were undertaken during the program year and an evaluation of the County’s progress in carrying out the goals and objectives as stated in the Five Year Consolidated Plan.
- FFY2021 CAPER - Final
- FFY2022 CAPER - Final
- FFY2023 CAPER - Draft
Annual Action Plan (AAP)
In accordance with federal requirements for jurisdictions receiving funds from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for housing and community development programs, Howard County has prepared its FFY2022 Annual Action Plan in accordance with its five -year Consolidated Plan for FFY2020-2024. This Action Plan outlines how the County will use federal resources to address the current housing and community development needs of our low to moderate income population, while remaining aligned with the goals outlined in our Consolidated Plan.
Public Notice and Hearing: Draft Citizen Participation Plan, 2nd Amendment
PUBLIC NOTICE
Notice Of Public Hearings
and Public Review and Comment Period
DRAFT Citizen Participation Plan, Second Amendment
Notice Date: June 26, 2025
The CPP provides and encourages Howard County residents to participate in the development and review of the Consolidated Plan, The Annual Action Plan, the Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) and the Baltimore Area Fair Housing Plan. Howard County DHCD invites all interested citizens, community groups, agencies and organizations to attend a public meeting to obtain your comments regarding the Amended CPP. The 30-day Public Review and Comment Period begins on July 1 and ends on July 31, 2025. During this time, the amended plan will be available at the Department of Housing and Community Development, 9820 Patuxent Woods Dr., Suite 224, Columbia, MD 21046 and on the DHCD webpage at www.howardcountymd.gov/DHCD-Grants.
PUBLIC HEARING LOCATION & DATES
Thursday, July 10, 2025 8:00am – 9:30am
Dept. of Housing and Community Development, Rm. 211
9820 Patuxent Woods Dr., Suite 224, Columbia, MD 21046
Monday, July 21, 2025 7:00pm
County Council Legislative Public Hearing, Banneker Room
George Howard Building, 3430 Court House Dr Ste 100, Ellicott City, Md 21043
Wednesday, July 23, 2025 6:00pm – 7:30pm
Dept. of Housing and Community Development, Rm. 211
9820 Patuxent Woods Dr., Suite 224, Columbia, MD 21046
If you plan to testify, a written copy of your testimony should be provided at the time of the hearing. If you cannot attend the Hearing but would like to offer testimony, written comments must be directed to Kim Zanti, Chief, Community Planning and Grants, at the DHCD office at 9820 Patuxent Woods Dr., Suite 224, Columbia, MD 21046 or by email at kzanti@howardcountymd.gov. Written comments must be received no later than 5:00 pm on the date of the Hearing and all comments must be received by the end of the thirty (30) day Public Comment Period, Thursday, July 31, 2025. Efforts will be made to accommodate disabled, hearing impaired, and non-English speaking citizens. Sign language interpreter services will be available upon request with three (3) days advance notice to Quanita Kareem, Chief, Compliance Division, Howard County Department of Housing and Community Development, at 410-313-3386, or email qkareem@howardcountymd.gov.
Planning Documents
- FFY2020 - FFY2024 Five Year Consolidated Plan
- Howard County Updated Citizen Participation Plan Amended April 2020
- HOME Program Policy Guide
Howard County, MD is a federal entitlement community under the U.S. Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME). In compliance with HUD regulations, the County must prepare a Consolidated Plan, every five years to assess its affordable housing and community development, economic development, and strategic planning needs. The needs and priorities identified in the Consolidated Plan are addresses annually through the Annual Action Plans which present what specific activities the County will accomplish with CDBG, HOME and other funding sources.
Click here to review the 5-Year Consolidated Plan.
In accordance with 24 CFR Part 91 of the federal regulations governing the Consolidated and Annual Action Plans and Howard County’s Citizen Participation Plan, notice is hereby given that the Howard County Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) is proposing to amend its FFY22 Annual Action Plans. Click here for a copy of the County’s Citizen Participation Plan.
Howard County’s Department of Housing and Community Development staff have created a HOME Investment Partnership Program Policy and Procedure Guide as mandated by the 2013 HOME Program Rule. For any questions related to this guide, please email the HOME Specialist, Melissa Barbagallo at mbarbagallo@howardcountymd.gov