Down payment assistanceMaryland
Coppin State University Live Near Your Work (Live Near the Nest)
$50,000 toward down payment and closing costs for full-time Coppin State employees buying in West Baltimore
Coppin State and the City of Baltimore launched this program in December 2024. Full-time, benefits-eligible employees receive a $50,000 grant toward down payment and closing costs on a home in the West Baltimore neighborhoods around campus, described by the university as the largest employer program of its kind in Maryland. Recipients commit to using the home as their primary residence for at least 5 years and complete homeowner counseling. Coppin has not published what happens if you leave early, so confirm the recapture terms with HR before you count on the money.
We have not confirmed current funding. Check with the administrator before you rely on it.
Last verified Sep 23, 2026. Program terms change; confirm with the administrator before you rely on them.
At a glance
- Amount
- $50,000 toward down payment and closing costs for full-time Coppin State employees buying in West Baltimore
- Type of help
- Grant
- Where
- Baltimore City
- Run by
- Coppin State University Human Resources, in partnership with the City of Baltimore
- First-time buyer
- Repeat buyers welcome
- Income limit
- None
- Homebuyer education
- Required
How the grant works
Money you do not pay back, as long as you meet the program's stay-in-the-home terms.
- Monthly payment: None
- Forgiveness: Recipients commit to living in the home as their primary residence for at least 5 years
- When you would repay: Coppin State has not published repayment terms. Ask HR what happens if you sell or move before 5 years
Who qualifies
- Repeat buyers welcome. Coppin's announcement mentions first-time homebuyer provisions but does not state a first-time requirement. Confirm with HR.
- Income. No income limit is published. You must qualify for a mortgage.
- Participating employers: Coppin State University, Coppin State.
- Full-time, benefits-eligible Coppin State University faculty and staff.
- Home must be in the West Baltimore communities near campus. Coppin's 2025 update names Upton and Druid Heights as neighborhoods where employees have bought.
- Primary residence for at least 5 years and participation in homeowner counseling.
- Coppin State is also an enrolled MMP Partner Match employer, so an MMP 6000 loan can add a state match.
How to apply
- 1Contact Coppin State Human Resources at 410-951-3667 for the current application, eligible boundaries and counseling requirements before you shop.
- 2Complete Baltimore City homeownership counseling before you sign a contract, since the city funds part of the program and requires it for every Live Near Your Work grant.
- 3Get pre-approved for a fixed-rate mortgage and find a home inside the eligible area, then submit the program application with your contract.
Watch out for
- Coppin has no public program page. Boundaries, repayment terms and the application itself come from HR, so get them in writing early.
- The 5-year primary residence commitment is the core condition. Ask HR exactly what is owed if you sell or move before then.
- The announcement mentions totals up to $90,000 when other assistance is layered on. Treat the $50,000 as the Coppin grant and everything above it as separate programs with their own rules.
For a Coppin employee this is the single biggest employer grant in Maryland. Start with HR, get the boundary map, and we can hunt inside it.
Straight answers
How much does Coppin State give?
$50,000 toward down payment and closing costs. Coppin has described total assistance of up to $90,000 when employees add other programs on top.
Who qualifies?
Full-time, benefits-eligible Coppin State employees who buy a primary residence in the eligible West Baltimore area near campus, complete homeowner counseling, and commit to 5 years in the home.
Where do I apply?
Through Coppin State Human Resources (410-951-3667). There is no online program page.
Sources
- Coppin State University news 2024-12-12: Coppin State partners with Baltimore to launch Live Near Your Work homeownership program (read Sep 22, 2026)
- Coppin State University news 2025-12-10: Live Near the Nest program turns employees into homeowners (read Sep 22, 2026)
- MMP Partner Employers list (Coppin State University enrolled) (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.
Programs are the easy part. Timing is the hard part.
Most buyers lose assistance on a deadline, not on eligibility. Sean helps you map out the counseling, the lender conversation, and the contract dates so nothing slips.