Howard County Housing and Community Development explained

Howard County Housing is the umbrella organization for the Howard County Department of Housing and Community Development and the Howard County Housing Commission. The Department is Howard County Government’s housing agency, and the Commission is a public housing authority and non-profit. Both have boards that meet monthly.

The Department administers various federal, state, and local funds which provide affordable housing and support for community development activities. Federal program examples are HUD's Community Development Block Grant and HOME Investment Partnerships Programs.

History

In 1963, the three-member board of county commissioners started a low-income housing program in Ellicott City by condemning properties in African American areas and rebuilding subsidized apartments. Better Consultants of Bryn Mawr, PA was hired to study if the county should bypass federal housing financing requirements and self-finance its housing program under its regulations.[1] Before becoming a dedicated department, Housing was handled by the position of Housing Administrator. Aaron J Roach filled the position until 1979 when he was indicted for using housing funds and crews for his residence.[2] In 1990, the County formed the Howard County Housing and Community Development.

Commission properties

Established in 1991, the Commission administers 50 federally funded public housing units, between 1,000 and 1,200 federally funded housing choice vouchers, and owns over 1,200 affordable and market-rate rental units. The Commission is also a housing developer, acquiring, constructing, and rehabilitating properties to expand affordable homeownership and rental opportunities in Howard County.

Development activities

Examples of the Commission’s development activities include:[3]

Affordable and mixed-income housing

Howard County Housing has also provided financial assistance for several other affordable and mixed-income housing projects, including Columbia Commons, Owen Brown Place, Parkview at Snowden River, Ellicott City Emerson, Port Capital Village and Patuxent Square. Howard County Housing continues its activity to expand affordable housing opportunities, sometimes with non-profit and private sector partners, and by using layered financing sources, including Howard County Government funding, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, State of Maryland financing, and various federal and private financing sources. Howard County Housing’s portfolio includes units intentionally developed as the vanguard for the nation's affordable, green and mixed-income housing.

Rental assistance programs

Howard County Housing has a menu of rental assistance programs. The menu is as follows:

Community development programs

Howard County, Maryland, is an entitlement jurisdiction. Thus, it has been approved by the Department of Housing and Urban Development to receive federal grant funds to affirmatively further fair housing through activities and projects that create, support or supplement affordable housing. The menu of community development programs are as follows:[8]

Community education and outreach

Howard County Housing engages in community education and outreach by either solely hosting or partnering with other entities to host events such as its annual Come Home to Howard County Housing Fair, the annual Housing Matters Mini Fair, quarterly Moderate Income Housing Unit Buyers & Renters Workshop, monthly First Time Homebuyer Freddie Mac Education Workshop, the bi-annual Landlord-Tenant Essentials Workshop, the annual "Mortgage Late? Don’t Wait!" Foreclosure Workshop and other events on relevant topics. Howard County Housing also participates in community programs such as the Howard County Department of Citizen Services' 50+EXPO and other community events and meetings when requested.

Further organizational roles

Howard County Housing maintains an active role in local, state and nationwide industry organizations such as the Affordable Housing Advocates, the Columbia Downtown Housing Board, the Maryland Association of Counties, the Regional Fair Housing Group, the Maryland Association of Housing and Redevelopment Agencies, the Housing Association of Non-profit Developers, the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials and the Opportunity Collaborative.

Additional Howard County Housing activities and programs include, but are not limited to, Shared Appreciation Homeownership, Shared Equity Homeownership, Lease-Purchase Program, the Neighborhood Conservation Initiative, the Emergency Services Grant, the American Dream Downpayment Initiative, the Community Legacy Program, Payment instead of Taxes (PILOT) and the Weatherization Program.

Notes and References

  1. News: The Baltimore Sun. Howard Will Pay $100,000 For Fels Lane Area Tract. 12 September 1967. William P. Gillen.
  2. News: The Washington Post. Howard County Ex-Aide Indicted. 15 November 1979.
  3. Web site: Howard County Housing Commission Owned Properties. Howard County Government Housing & Community Development. 31 October 2013.
  4. Web site: Small Efficiency Apartments - Beechcrest Mobile Home Park Redevelopment. Howard County Government Housing & Community Development. 31 October 2013.
  5. Book: Jim Clark Soldier Farmer Legislator. 112. James A. Clark Jr..
  6. News: The Times. 31 March 1965. Fels Lane Renewal discussed on Tuesday.
  7. Web site: Developing Neighborhoods. Burgess Mill Station - f/k/a Hilltop. Howard County Government Housing & Community Development. 31 October 2013.
  8. Web site: GRANTS. Howard County Housing & Community Development. 31 October 2013.