Incentives
Baltimore Homeownership Incentive Program (B-HiP)
We invite you to get hip in Baltimore with B-HiP! These incentives are specifically tailored for Baltimore City homebuyers. From Vacants to Value Booster to Live Near Your Work to Buying Into Baltimore, there’s an incentive for everyone. What’s also nice about B-HiP is that eligible homebuyers can layer incentive programs. Now that’s something to get excited about! Download the “Let’s Talk BHiP” Webinar.
Here are the highlights:
Baltimore City Employee Homeownership Program – The incentive for City employees has been increased from $3,000 to $5,000.
Buying into Baltimore and City Living Starts Here – The Buying into Baltimore incentive has been increased from $4,000 to $5,000. Also, Live Baltimore has added four neighborhood tours, City Living Starts Here, to the previous two citywide tours. The number of incentives awarded has been increased from 60 to 100 per year.
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Homeownership Assistance Program – For first-time home buyers with total family income at or below 80% of the area median income, $5,000 in down payment and closing cost assistance is available.
Incentive Programs
Whether you’re a home buyer or a developer, Vacants to Value has grants and tax breaks to help you find your future in Baltimore.
Baltimore City Employee Homeownership Program
Employees of City agencies and quasi-City agencies* with six months of experience are eligible for $5,000 when purchasing their first home in Baltimore City. Houses up to $417,000 in cost are eligible and no income limits apply. Police officers, firefighters and teachers are also eligible for purchasing HUD homes at discounted prices through the Good Neighbors program.
You can download an application for the Baltimore City Employee Homeownership Program here. For more information about this program, contact Marva Allette at 410-396-3124 or Marva.Allettte@baltimorecity.gov.
*Quasi-City Agencies currently include the following: Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association, Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore Development Corporation, Baltimore Housing, Baltimore Main Streets, The Baltimore Museum of Art, Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts, Baltimore Rising, Downtown Partnership of Baltimore, Emerging Technology Center, Empower Baltimore Management Corporation, Enoch Pratt Free Library, Mayor’s Office of Employment Development, Mayor’s Office of Minority and Women-Owned Business Development, Parking Authority of Baltimore City, Small Business Resource Center, Visit Baltimore, Walters Art Museum, Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore.
Buying into Baltimore and City Living Starts Here
Live Baltimore offers a $5,000 Buying Into Baltimore incentive to use toward buying a home anywhere in Baltimore City. Every year, there are two citywide events with incentives for the first 30 buyers. With B-HiP, Live Baltimore will sponsor four neighborhood-focused events called City Living Starts Here with 10 incentives each.
For more information about these programs, other homeownership opportunities, Baltimore neighborhoods and city life, visit Live Baltimore. Live Baltimore offers instant analysis of incentive program eligibility.
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Homeownership Assistance Program
For first-time home buyers with total family income at or below 80% of area median income ($44,750 individual, $63,900 family of four), $5,000 in downpayment and closing cost assistance is available. For more information, contact Marva Allette at 410-396-3124 or Marva.Allette@baltimore.city.gov.Live Near Your Work Program
For more information, contact Daibeth Saunders at 410-396-3124 or Daibeth.Saunders@baltimorecity.gov. Live Baltimore has a dedicated staff member, Elizabeth Koontz, to aid in the enrollment and promotion of the Live Near Your Program. You may contact her at LKoontz@livebaltimore.com.
Maryland Mortgage Program
For more information, call 410-514-7530 or visit mmp.maryland.gov
Vacants to Value Booster Program
Please note: The eligibility guidelines for this program have been modified recently. A house is eligible for this program only if it was subject to a Vacant Building Notice for a year or more prior to its rehabilitation for sale to a home buyer. You can find more information about this change here.
View samples of houses that have been pre-qualified for this incentive here. For more information, contact Michael Guye, Director of Homeownership at 410-396-3124 or Michael.Guye@baltimorecity.gov.
City Program Guidelines and Rules
A list of approved homeownership counseling agencies can be found in the Baltimore Homeownership Incentive Programs packet. For more information and program details, call the Baltimore City Office of Homeownership at 410-396-3124.
Office of Homeownership
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-396-3124
Donate a Property
Property donation is a way for many to release themselves from the liability of an unwanted or too- expensive-to-maintain property. As an alternative to allowing your property to become another unkept or blighted property, consider donating your property to the City of Baltimore. This can help both your own personal interest and the investment of the neighborhood. The owner should be able to pay the fixed settlement expense cost of $600.00 Our staff includes real estate, tax and legal consultants who have the expertise to handle property donation. If your property is accepted, we can make the donation process simple and convenient. For more information, please complete the form.