Opportunities Exist for Affordable Housing in Howard County

Howard County has

Along with the wealth, comes higher prices for both rental and home ownership properties. However, what the Howard County Housing Authority wants the public to know is there are affordable options for middle income families.

"That's both a blessing and a curse -- (Howard County) contributes to a high quality of life in the county but it makes it a challenge for some folks to find a place to live here," said Howard County housing director Tom Carbo. "It does result in higher prices in rent. But we did want to get the word out that there's still affordability to be found in the county. We also have programs to assist people and making housing affordable."

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The housing authority will hold its seventh annual housing fair on April 13. The objective is to provide information on various housing options within Howard County. One of the programs is a housing lottery, which selects two pre-approved people to have the option to buy homes in either Elkridge or Ellicott City at a discounted rate.

Carbo said the Howard County housing market didn't see much of a downturn during the nation's housing crisis over the past seven years. The county has been fortunate in that regard, and has seen benefits for buyers such as lower interest rates as a result.

"The market here has been relatively stable to the rest of the country," Carbo said. "Prices have dropped some but not a lot. The rental market has been very strong. Overall the real estate market is strong and with interest rates low, it's a very good time to buy or sell in Howard County. Obviously, we have some of the highest median incomes in the country and we also have some of the highest prices. Although there are homes available, they're at the upper end of the price scale. What we do is try to help folks to find housing that's affordable to those with moderate incomes."

With that in mind, the housing fair will offer education sessions on various programs buyers can utilize, such as HUD and other state programs.

With another housing fair upcoming, the Howard County Housing Authority will look to highlight the benefits of buying and renting in the area, as well as showcasing what the county has to offer for moderate income buyers.

"Our focus is on helping people be informed with what it takes to buy a home and what opportunities are out there," Carbo said.

See related links:

Howard County Fifth Wealthiest in Nation

Howard County Housing Fair Returns for Seventh Year

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