Howard County Housing and Community Development

History

Commission properties

Development activities

• Beechcrest Mobile Home Park - a mobile home park located in North Laurel, in substandard condition, was purchased to develop permanent supportive housing for the chronically homeless however the project was moved to an alternate site as a result of community concerns. The residents of the Park are being offered other affordable housing options – rental and homeownership. There are currently no other plans for the Park at this time.
• Burgess Mills Station – In 1965, Senator James A. Clark, Jr. promised the demolition of African American houses on Fels lane in Ellicott City and construction of the 94 unit Hill Top Housing unit if civil rights activist Roger Carter would call off demonstrations. Six acres of condemned land was repurchased by the county and combined with 16 acres purchased from Turf Valley developer Samuel M. Pistorio who failed to get FHA loans to build a proposed 220 unit low income housing project. The community was redeveloped into mixed-income, multi-generational 198 unit community of manor homes, apartment homes and townhouse with an underground parking garage. The community also includes new 45,000 square foot state-of-the-art ; the Center replacing the former Roger Carter Recreation Center built from a segregated Ellicott City Schoolhouse. The Center features an indoor swimming pool, basketball court, exercise center, multi-purpose room, classrooms and climbing wall. This community is being developed in three phases; this is the first phase. Phase II of the redevelopment includes the demolition of a total of 60 aged apartments on the Ellicott Terrace parcel and the demolition of the existing Roger Carter Recreation Center, to be replaced with 75-units . Phase III is still in the development stage.
• Colts Crossing - formerly known as Alfa Pines Condominium Complex, this 24 townhome community in Ellicott City was acquired by the Commission and converted to public housing in 1990.
• Columbia Landing – a 300 apartment home, mixed-income community built in 1981 and acquired by the Commission in 2008.
• Ellicott Gardens – a 106 apartment home green and affordable multi-family community completed in 2009.
• Ellicott Terrace – formerly owned by The Columbia Housing Corporation, this 60 unit apartment home tax credit community was acquired by the Commission in 2009, and is a part of the Burgess Mills Station redevelopment.
• Monarch Mills – is the former location of the 100 unit apartment and townhome community formerly known as Guilford Gardens, was redeveloped into Monarch Mills, a 269 unit mixed-income, multi-generational, amenity rich apartment home community.
• Mormingside Park - a 60 unit apartment home mixed income senior community. Property renovation completed in 2012 includes upgrades to units, common areas and systems.
• Orchard Crossing – is an affordable 36 unit townhome community that borders on a community with a similar name owned by Arminger Management Orchard Crossing apartment homes.
• Scattered Site – 65 affordable units – condominium, townhome & single family - located throughout the County – Columbia, Elkridge, Laurel and Savage.
• Selborne House of Dorsey Hall – a 120 unit affordable senior community in Ellicott City.
• Tiber Hudson- a 25 unit apartment home mixed-income senior community located in the Burgess Mill Station first phase area.

  Affordable and mixed-income housing

Rental assistance programs

• Housing Choice Voucher Program - Formerly known as the Section 8 Program, this program is funded and regulated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which allocates federal funds to public housing authorities to administer subsidy to low-income families via a housing voucher. The program assists low-income families, the elderly and disabled in obtaining affordable, decent, safe and sanitary housing. Participating families choose their own unit, and pay 30% of their adjusted gross income toward rent. The Housing Choice Voucher Program is a family’s vehicle to affordable housing options and access to housing that support self-sufficiency activities in areas such as education, employment and other community amenities.
• Rental Allowance Program - Funded and regulated by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development and provides grants to local governments to assist low-income families that are homeless or experiencing a housing emergency. Assistance is provided in the form of fixed, short-term monthly rent subsidy and case management to help families achieve permanent, stable housing. Participating families find their own units and pay the balance of the rent not covered by the flat rent subsidy.
• Commission-Owned Rental Housing - This program offers units that are owned and regulated by Howard County Housing to provide affordable, decent, safe and sanitary housing opportunities for low-to-moderate income County residents. The family’s monthly rent payment varies and is based on the family's gross income, unit size and the current rent structure specified by the lease. A variety of unit types are available including family and elderly multi-dwelling apartments and scattered site condominiums, townhomes, single-family homes. NOTE: Some of these units are operated by professional management companies on behalf of Howard County Housing.
• Public Housing - Funded and regulated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development which allocates federal funds to public housing authorities that lease and manage affordable, decent, safe and sanitary units to low-income families, the elderly, and disabled. Public housing units are often contained in multi-dwelling communities but also include scattered site single-family homes, townhouses, duplexes and condominiums.
• Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS - To address housing needs for low-income persons who are living with HIV/AIDS and their families, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development funds the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program. The Program is the only federal program dedicated to address the housing needs of this population. Funds are distributed to states and cities by formula allocations and made available as part of the area's Consolidated Plan.
• Moderate Income Housing Unit - The Moderate Income Housing Unit Program is an inclusionary zoning program that requires developers of new housing in certain zoning districts to rent a portion of the dwelling units built to households of moderate income. This program offers new rental homes at reduced rents to eligible families. Customers interested in Moderate Income Housing Unit rentals can complete an application at one of the participating communities throughout the year.
• Homeless Subsidy Stability Program - A component of the newly created Coordinated System of Homeless Services and is a housing subsidy for residents that have exhausted all the services of local homeless prevention, housing stability, rapid re-housing and/or shelter programs, and continue to be unable to secure affordable, stable housing due to extreme and often multiple barriers to conventional, permanent housing. Howard County Executive Ken Ulman approved $150,000 to fund Homeless Subsidy Stability Program and the Howard County Department of Citizen Services partnered with the Howard County Housing Commission to administer the program. At present, seven families have been deemed eligible and are in various aspects of the housing process.

  Community development programs

• Community Development Block Grant - The Community Development Block Grant program is a flexible program that provides communities with resources to address a wide range of unique community development needs. The program provides annual grants on a formula basis to entitled cities and counties to develop viable communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income persons. The program is authorized under Title 1 of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974, Public Law 93-383, as amended; 42 U.S.C.-5301 et seq. Beginning in 1974, the Community Development Block Grant program is one of the longest continuously run programs at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
• HOME - The largest Federal block grant to State and local governments designed exclusively to create affordable housing for low-income households. Communities often use program funds in partnership with local nonprofit groups to fund a wide range of activities that build, buy, and/or rehabilitate affordable housing for rent or homeownership or provide direct rental assistance to low-income people. HOME is authorized under Title II of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act, as amended. Program regulations are at 24 CFR Part 92.

  Community education and outreach

Further organizational roles