Baltimore City Home Buying Assistance Programs

University of Maryland, Baltimore
BALTIMORE CITY HOME BUYING ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
HOME BUYING
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
University of Maryland, Baltimore has partnered with Baltimore City and
the State of Maryland to offer down payment and/or closing cost
assistance to eligible employees who choose to purchase homes within
designated areas of Baltimore City.
Live Near Your Work (LNYW) & House Keys 4 Employees
(HK4E)
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) is a participant in the
Baltimore City Live Near Your Work Program. The LNYW program was
created to stimulate home ownership within the City of Baltimore and
support the revitalization and stabilization of targeted neighboring
communities. (See map for Baltimore City targeted neighborhoods.) If
you participate in the LNYW program and purchase a home in one of
these designated neighborhoods, you may also be eligible for assistance
through the LNYW program.
The University of Maryland, Baltimore will contribute $2,500 per eligible
participant. In addition, participants will be eligible to receive a matching
grant up to $2,500 from the Baltimore City Live Near Your Work
program, to be used toward down payment or closing costs.
The University of Maryland, Baltimore is also a participating employer in
the State of Maryland House Keys 4 Employees program. House Keys 4
Employees (HK4E) enables eligible homebuyers who are using a
Maryland Mortgage Program loan to purchase their home to receive
more down payment and/or closing cost assistance than is available
through the standard down payment and closing cost assistance
programs. Visit the Maryland Mortgage Program website for additional
information.
Eligibility
To be eligible for the UMB LNYW and House Keys for Employees funding, all of
the following conditions must be met:




You are a regular full- or part-time (50% FTE or more) faculty or staff
employee of the University of Maryland, Baltimore.
This must be your first Baltimore City home purchase.
The home must be your primary residence for one year.
The home being purchased must be within the targeted neighborhoods
listed of Barre Circle, Hollins Market, Union Square, Franklin Square,
Poppleton, which include portions of Sandtown-Winchester, Upton,
Madison Park, Harlem Park, Mount Clare and Washington
Village/Pigtown.
Process
1. Download the Baltimore City LNYW Application from the HR
Benefits website
2. Complete the employee section of the Baltimore City LNYW
Application and bring it with you along with the sales contract for
verification to:
Human Resource Services, (HRS) Benefits
620 W. Lexington Street, 3rd floor
Baltimore, MD 21201
410- 706-2616
HRS will complete the employer section of the LNYW application
and the employee will submit the verified application along with
supporting documentation to the Baltimore City Office of
Homeownership.
3. Once the application is approved by the Baltimore LNYW
program, the employee must bring a copy of the approved
Baltimore LNYW Employee Application, the name and contact
information for the title company, and the scheduled settlement
date to Human Resource Services to receive the university
matching contribution $2,500 from UMB.
4. UMB will provide a check payable to you and your title company
in the amount of $2,500. Please allow for a minimum of 10 to 14
business days for the processing of the check.
UMB Live Near Your Work
Targeted Neighborhoods
Live Near Your Work
Eligible WEST BALTIMORE
NEIGHBORHOODS
Sandtown-Winchester: A 72-square block community in West
Baltimore, known locally as “Sandtown.” It’s home to over 10,300
residents.
Upton: This area has all the ingredients to be a thriving and successful
neighborhood- great housing, livable streets, close proximity to
employment, cultural centers, and five train stations, a neighborhood
commercial district and an extraordinary story to tell about its past.
Most of all, Upton has a dedicated core of residents, that lived in the
neighborhood for more than 30 years. These stakeholders have refused
to let go of their belief in Upton’s potential and provided the momentum
that moves this planning process forward.
Harlem Park: This community is uniquely designed with several inner
city block parks. It also includes the historic Lafayette Square. During the
Civil War, the Square was used by the 3rd Regiment MD Veteran
volunteers as a campground. Later developed into a park with 4
Victorianbuilt churches, It became known during the late 1800’s as
“Church Square.” Some of the buildings still survive today. Homes in the
area are mainly three story rowhouses built in the late 1920’s in
Italianate design with marble ornaments, spacious rooms, marble
fireplaces, elegant staircases and nice backyards.
Franklin Square: A historical and ideal urban community. This greatly
admired community is located blocks away from the main Baltimore City
commuter throughfare known as Route 40 which extends to Martin
Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
Union Square: Named for the charming and graceful park that lies at its
center, Union Square is an exceptional and diverse urban neighborhood.
Within its borders are colorful and storied, historical of 19th and 20th
century distinctive architecture, historic markets, local museums, and
longtime residents. The neighborhood is home to several art galleries,
artist studios and a bed and breakfast (the 1870 Guest House) that
overlooks the square. This hisoric neighborhood, one of Baltimore’s
friendliest, is marked by pre-and post-Civil War architecture, period
street lamps, brick sidewalks and stately row homes.
Mount Clare: A row house neighborhood of 5,000 – 6,000 people,
diverse in age and ethnic background. There are many longtime
residents in the neighborhood and many children.
Barre Circle: Comprised of less than 120 homes, Barre circle is a
charming and historic neighborhood of brick row houses from the 1840s
to the 1980s (it was homesteaded in the early 1980s). Homes are mostly
two and three story brickfront townhouses.
Many interesting
renovations and gardens can be found here; many houses have big back
yards and the neighborhood has two large common areas.
Washington Village – Pigtown: Pigtown’s biggest draws are its diversity
and location. The neighborhood is gaining in value but very affordable,
attracting students, retirees and singles, couples and parents. Those who
call Pigtown home, enjoy the convenient commute to downtown, I-95,
Federal Hill, the MARC train, and the stadiums. With a very involved
community, Pigtown is growing rapidly and welcome new residents,
businesses and orginazations.
Hollins Market: The Union Square-Hollins Market Historic District is a
dense area of row houses and commercial structures located
approximately 10 blocks west of the Inner Harbor. The district contains
approximately 1,321 buildings with 31 structures. There are two major
features in the district: Union Square Park, a spectacular park and
housing development of the 1840s; and Hollins Market, an Italianate style
market house built in 1838 and 1864. The remainder of the district
developed after 1830 is mainly two to three story brick vernacular
dwellings, while larger, high-style row houses surround the park.
ADDITIONAL FUNDING RESOURCES
Baltimore Housing is an excellent resource providing links to other
available homeownership incentives.
http://www.baltimorehousing.org/home_center
Maryland Mortgage Program Down Payment and Closing Cost
Assistance may be able assist you with your down payment and closing
costs.
http://mmp.maryland.gov/Pages/Downpayment.aspx
BALTIMORE CITY HOME BUYING ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
LNYW
http://www.umaryland.edu/hrs/benefits/work-life-and-wellness/work-lifebalance-resources/
The Maryland Department of Housing and Community development
offers other programs for new homebuyers in need of down payment
and closing cost assistance. http://mmp.maryland.gov
For more information on the programs go to the
Human Resource Services Benefits website at
http://www.umaryland.edu/hrs/benefits/work-life-and-wellness/work-lifebalance-resources/homebuying-assistance/
For questions, please contact the Benefits Office at 410-706-2616