Howard County Housing & Community Development

In 2024, our team was restructured to include homeless services, allowing us to take a more comprehensive approach to housing stability. This change has strengthened our ability to build a more effective and coordinated system for residents with housing needs.

In 2024, we reorganized Howard County government to move the Division of Homeless Services into the Department of Housing & Community Development.

We made this change because homelessness and housing are not separate challenges, and when services are split across agencies, the people who need help most can end up navigating a fragmented system. By breaking down silos and aligning these functions within DHCD, we created a more integrated, housing-first approach that better supports residents from crisis through permanent housing and long-term stability.

This reorganization is already helping improve outcomes. Since 2024, DHCD has worked with the Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center to renovate and expand the emergency shelter, adding 39 new beds and increasing capacity by more than 75%. Since FY2013, the County has helped more than 2,500 people enter the homeless services system and exit to permanent housing. Through the County’s HOME program, DHCD has also partnered with Bridges to Housing Stability to house more than 400 individuals experiencing homelessness or housing instability, including more than 200 HCPSS students. With this restructuring, we're building a more effective system for residents with housing needs.

ICYMI - DHCD’s first Coalition to End Homelessness Resource Fair. Nonprofits and community leaders in the Howard County area came together to learn about resources from other providers.

This week, the Howard County Executive signed CB25-2026 into law, expanding age-restricted cottage cluster housing options for older adults in Howard County. The legislation supports more affordable, accessible “missing middle” housing and helps residents age in place while staying connected to their communities

Howard County Office of Human Rights & Equity (OHRE) receives housing discrimination complaints each year, addressing issues such as refusal to rent or lease termination based on unlawful bias.

Through LIVE, the County will expand fair housing education and webinars for tenants and landlords.

Learn more about OHRE and our webinars to come at https://www.howardcountymd.gov/News012026b.

Just earlier this year, we launched LIVE, or Landlord Accountability, Investment in Quality, Victim Protection, and Eviction Prevention Initiative. In addition to strengthening eviction prevention, educating our residents, and fortifying our inspection process, the LIVE Initiative also strengthens fair housing protections.

Howard County Office of Human Rights & Equity (OHRE) receives housing discrimination complaints each year, addressing issues such as refusal to rent or lease termination based on unlawful bias.

Through LIVE, the County will expand fair housing education and webinars for tenants and landlords, ensuring residents know their rights and can access housing free from discrimination.

Learn more about OHRE and our webinars to come at https://www.howardcountymd.gov/News012026b.

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball Officially Opens County’s First Transformational Opportunity and Economic Mobility Center
The building is home to the Howard County Office of Workforce Developmentf Workforce Development, Department of Housing and Community Development, and a future Howard County Recreation and Parks’ childcare center.

The Howard County Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and Coalition to End Homelessness are excited to host a Provider Resource Fair in recognition of Summer Solstice on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, from 4:00 – 6:00 pm at 9755 Patuxent Woods Drive. On the first day of summer and the longest day of the year, we will gather service providers together in a resource-sharing event and reignite our mission to ensure everyone in Howard County has a place to call home. This event is designed to bring together community stakeholders to strengthen partnerships, spread awareness, and enhance the coordination of services in the Homeless Response System in our ongoing efforts to build a more effective system to serve our unhoused and unstably housed neighbors.

This event is open to the public but targeted towards service providers in homeless services and related sectors, the Continuum of Care Board and it’s at-large members, and community stakeholders. A flyer is attached for more information. Please share with your professional network!

Visit DHCD’s website to learn more about Howard County’s Continuum of Care, the Coalition to End Homelessness.

https://www.howardcountymd.gov/housing-community-development/homeless-services

We hope to see you there!

Housing staff attended the Heritage Housing Partners Legacy Awards breakfast to honor award winners, Jackie Eng and Council member Christiana Rigby, for their dedication to affordable housing initiatives in the County.

This is the homeless services team attending Maryland DHCD’s statewide Built For Zero retreat in Lanham, MD. A planning session that will help Howard County achieve Functional Zero.

Today our kids got to see how fun it is to work for Howard County. They also learned a lot while having fun.