City Offers 4.5 Million for Affordable Rental Housing Projects

The Baltimore City Department of Housing and Community Development on December 2 released a Notice of Funding Availability for up to 4.5 million in HOME Investment Partnerships Program funds targeted to create and preserve affordable rental housing in the city. The round reserves up to 975,000 for certified Community Housing Development Organizations, which are community based nonprofit developers that often deliver deeply affordable projects.

HOME funds commonly pair with Low Income Housing Tax Credits when developers assemble financing, and the department framed this NOFA to align with Maryland's 2026 9 percent LIHTC round to streamline project timing and capital stacks. A pre proposal conference is scheduled for December 11, and full proposals are due January 9, 2026. The release includes program details and application instructions for interested developers and nonprofit sponsors.

This infusion builds on recent HOME investments locally. DHCD Housing Commissioner Alice Kennedy noted that over the last five years HOME investments in Baltimore totaled more than 26 million and supported the creation of 827 HOME assisted rental units. Those units are spread across city neighborhoods and represent a significant portion of federal and local efforts to preserve affordable housing stock amid rising rents and development pressure.

For Baltimore residents the funding round matters because it can preserve existing units and create new long term affordable options for renters whose incomes are below area median. For community based developers the CHDO set aside offers dedicated capital that can be paired with tax credit equity to make projects feasible. For renters and neighborhood organizations the process will determine where and how new affordable units are located and governed.

Applicants should be prepared to synchronize timelines with the state LIHTC round and to document tenant income targeting and long term affordability commitments. As the city moves to channel HOME dollars into projects, residents and neighborhood leaders will need to track proposed locations and tenant protections to ensure the investments benefit long standing communities across Baltimore.