Howard County Moderate Income Housing Unit (MIHU) Homeownership Program

At a glance

Amount

Below-market home price, not a cash grant

Type of help

Other help

Where

Howard County

Run by

Howard County Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD)

First-time buyer

Repeat buyers welcome

Income limit

Yes, see below

Price limit

Yes, see below

Minimum credit score

620

Homebuyer education

Not required

How the other help works

A special purchase path, discount, or loan type that lowers what you need at closing.

• Monthly payment: None

Who qualifies

• Repeat buyers welcome. First-time status is not required, but it earns priority points in the lottery, along with living or working in Howard County or working for the county, its schools, or a nonprofit.
• Income. Household income must be at least $55,000 and no more than 80% of the Howard County median: $82,310 for 1 person, $94,068 for 2, $105,827 for 3, $117,586 for 4, $126,992 for 5, $136,399 for 6, $145,806 for 7, $155,213 for 8 or more (effective 2026-01-01).
• Price. Not applicable. The county sets each MIHU's price. Most MIHU homes run $250,000 to $450,000.
• Property types: Single-family, Townhouse, Condo. Must be your primary residence.
• You must be mortgage-ready: a 620 minimum FICO score, acceptable credit history, and debt that fits standard underwriting for the home being offered.
• Applications are only accepted during open enrollment in January, April, July, and October. A complete application stays active for 3 years.
• The county's 8-hour homebuyer education workshop is built for MIHU and SDLP buyers. Ask DHCD whether it is required for your purchase.

How to apply

1. 1Gather the documents on the county's MIHU checklist (pay stubs, W-2s, tax returns, and other income records). Incomplete applications are returned and must wait for the next enrollment month.
2. 2Submit your application during an open enrollment month: January, April, July, or October. Allow 6 to 8 weeks for processing.
3. 3Stay in the database. When a home becomes available, the county pulls mortgage-eligible applicants and invites them to a lottery drawing for that home. Priority points come from first-time status, living or working in Howard County, and employment with the county, schools, or a nonprofit.
4. 4If you win a drawing, you buy the home at the county's price through a county-managed, non-negotiable sale process and use your own lender.

Watch out for

• There is no waitlist to climb. The county picks mortgage-eligible applicants from the database for each lottery, about 40 homes a year.
• The deed restriction is permanent. Every future sale goes back through the MIHU resale process at a formula price, even after the mortgage is paid off.
• You cannot rent the home. It must be your primary residence.
• Your real estate agent can advise you, but the county does not pay a commission on MIHU sales.
• Once you own the home, income and household changes do not affect you. The rules bite only at purchase and resale.

Straight answers

Sources

• Howard County DHCD MIHU Homeownership Program page (income limits effective 2026-01-01) (read Sep 22, 2026)
• MIHU Homeownership Frequently Asked Questions (updated 2026-04-15) (read Sep 22, 2026)
• Howard County MIHU Open Enrollment page (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.