Reinvest Baltimore Down Payment Assistance (NHS Baltimore)

At a glance

Amount

Up to $20,000 toward down payment or closing costs on a qualified Reinvest Baltimore home

Type of help

Forgivable loan

Where

Baltimore City

Run by

Neighborhood Housing Services of Baltimore, funded by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development

First-time buyer

Repeat buyers welcome

Income limit

None

Price limit

Yes, see below

Homebuyer education

Required

Your own funds

At least $1,000

How the forgivable loan works

A second loan with no payment that is forgiven over time or after a set number of years in the home.

• Interest: 0%
• Monthly payment: None
• Forgiveness: 20% of the balance is forgiven each year you live in the home as your primary residence, fully forgiven after five years.
• When you would repay: Sell, refinance, or stop living in the home as your primary residence before year five and the unforgiven balance is due.

Who qualifies

• Repeat buyers welcome. Open to repeat buyers. If you own a home now, you must sell it before settling on the new one.
• Income. No household income limit (checked 2026-09-22).
• Price. No price cap published. Your mortgage must be under $667,000 (checked 2026-09-22).
• Property-specific: the home must be a qualified Reinvest Baltimore property, meaning one redeveloped through the state's Baltimore Vacants Reinvestment Initiative or UPLIFT funding in a designated area. NHS points buyers to the Reinvest Baltimore property listing kept by Healthy Neighborhoods.
• Fixed-rate mortgage only, no adjustable-rate loans, no cash purchases. The loan must come from a federally insured, NHS-approved lender.
• You must live in the home as your primary residence.

How to apply

1. 1Before you make an offer, complete an NHS homebuyer workshop and a one-on-one counseling session. NHS says no exceptions on the timing. NHS is also a City-approved counseling agency, so the same certificate can cover Baltimore City incentives.
2. 2Check the Reinvest Baltimore property listing to confirm the home you want is a qualified property.
3. 3Get pre-approved for a fixed-rate mortgage with an NHS-approved lender and set aside at least $1,000 of your own money.
4. 4Get a ratified contract, then submit the NHS interest form or contact intake with your pay stubs (60 days), bank statements, two years of tax returns and W-2s, pre-approval, purchase agreement and education certificate.
5. 5NHS reserves the funds and coordinates with your lender and title company for settlement.

Watch out for

• The house has to be on the list. This is state money tied to specific redeveloped vacants, not a general Baltimore City program.
• The state announced funding for at least 150 buyers on 2026-07-01 with up to $3 million to NHS. It is first come, first served, so confirm availability the week you write an offer.
• Healthy Neighborhoods runs a companion Reinvest Baltimore Rate Savings incentive that buys down the rate on its Special Purchase Program homes. Ask whether the property qualifies for one or both.
• If you currently own a home you must sell it before you settle on the new one.

Straight answers

Sources

• NHS of Baltimore, Reinvest Baltimore DPA program page (read Sep 22, 2026)
• NHS of Baltimore, Down Payment Assistance overview (read Sep 22, 2026)
• Maryland DHCD press release, Reinvest Baltimore homeownership incentives (2026-07-01) (read Sep 22, 2026)
• NHS of Baltimore, selected to administer Reinvest Baltimore DPA (2026-03-01) (read Sep 22, 2026)

Program details are summarized from public sources and change without notice. Funding badges reflect the last time we checked, not a guarantee of availability. This is buyer education from a real estate agent, not a loan pre-approval or a commitment to lend. Eligibility is decided by each program administrator and your lender. Equal Housing Opportunity.