Help for 1st Time Home Buyers

In Howard County MD the MIHU program helps first time home buyers with moderate incomes to purchase a home.  It can be very expensive to live here and this program makes it affordable to live in a county where the two largest cities were named (Columbia/Ellicott City) the best small town to live in several times. 

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Moderate Income Housing Unit Program Activity Update

October was an open enrollment month for the homeownership component of the Moderate Income Housing Unit (MIHU) Program. This is one of four annual opportunities for individuals and families interested in affordable homeownership in Howard County to submit an application.  As is HCH’s custom during open enrollment periods, a MIHU Workshop was held on Wednesday, October 17, 2012, from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm at the Columbia Gateway building in Columbia. The workshop gives an overview of the MIHU Program (rental and homeownership) guidelines and opportunities. Unlike the homeownership component of the MIHU Program, the rental component is available year round, allowing applicants to submit rental applications directly to the participating MIHU rental communities.

The Moderate Income Housing Unit (MIHU) Program is an inclusionary zoning program that requires developers of new housing in specific zoning districts to sell or rent a portion of the dwelling units to households of moderate income.  A household of moderate income is defined as one whose household income does not exceed 80% of the Howard County median income for purchasers and 60% of the Howard County median income for renters.  The Howard County median income for 2012 is $101,771 (for a family of four).  All types of dwelling units are available for purchase or rent, from apartment-style dwellings and condominiums, to townhouses and single-family detached dwellings.  The purchase price and rental rate for each type of MIHU is calculated according to an affordability formula established by the MIHU law.

For more information about the MIHU program, please visit www.howardcountymd.gov and search “MIHU” or call 410-313-6318. The next open enrollment period will be in January 2013.