Program Overview

The Emergency Mortgage & Housing Assistance Program (EMHAP) assists Baltimore City residents whose homes are facing foreclosure due to economic hardship. Assistance is provided as a grant in the form of a direct payment to the payee to pay past due charges. The program may also assist residetns with overdue rent, property taxes, homeowners insureans and/or water bills.  Payments can be applied toward arrearages for the most recent three-month period.

Funding

The City has designated $2,000,000 for EMHAP. We estimate that these funds will support between 100 - 300 households. The program will end once all funds have been committed.

Eligibility Criteria

To qualify for EMHAP,applicants must meet the following criteria:

• Gross annual household income at or below 80% AMI (see chart below)
• The applicant must occupy the property as his/her primary residence and show proof
• The applicant must have a mortgage, rent, utility bill, or property tax bill with a past due balance
• Residents with past due utility bills must exhaust all other resources and program before applying for EMHAP           
• If a homeowners is in foreclosure, they must show evidence of being able to pay moving forward
• If a renter is facing eviction, they must show evidence of being able to pay moving forward

Application Process

You can apply for EMHAP online here. Click on the Register tab and register for a free account with your name and email. After registering, click Sign In to enter your email and password. Then, under Start, a New Application, click Emergency Mortgage & Housing Assistance Program. If you need assistance, call the LIGHT Intake & Assessment Unit at 410-396-3023.

If you do not wish to complete the application online, you can download and print the application form, or you can pick up a paper application at 417 E. Fayette St., Suite 1125.

To submit a paper application, you can mail it or bring it to:

Baltimore City Department of Housing & Community Development
417 E. Fayette Street, Suite 1125
Baltimore, MD 21202

Required Documents

• Maryland State ID
• Social Security Card for applicant
• Mortgage Statement, BGE or Water Bill, Real Property Tax Bill, or Homeowner Association statement with 2-month ledger(address must match ID)
• Proof of Income - Consecutive Paystubs for the past 30 days, Pension or Retirement Statements, Social Security Award Letter(SSA, SSDI, SSI), Unemployment or Worker’s Compensation Statement, 2024 1040 Tax Return with all pages
• Two most recent bank statements with all pages, including the blank page for all open accounts

Questions? Call the Crisis Services Unit at 410-396-3023.