Howard County Housing

What Howard County Housing does

Howard County Housing Commission (HCHC) is a Public Housing Authority (PHA) established in 1990 and headquartered in Columbia, Maryland. The Commission became an independent agency in July 2016, separating from direct Howard County government operation, and operates as the principal provider of affordable housing in the county. Its owned portfolio comprises more than 1,900 rental units across multiple properties, including Monarch Mills (269 units), Burgess Mill Station (251 units), Columbia Landing (300 units), Azure Oxford Square (248 units), and the Ellicott Gardens supportive housing campus. In addition to owned units, HCHC administers approximately 1,400 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) households and has facilitated the development of roughly 800 additional affordable units through partnerships with private developers, bringing the total managed footprint to over 3,000 affordable homes.

The Commission's core programs include tenant-based Housing Choice Vouchers, project-based vouchers, mainstream vouchers for non-elderly disabled households, HOPWA vouchers for persons living with HIV/AIDS, Family Self-Sufficiency, and a Housing Choice Voucher Homeownership Program. It also operates supportive housing at Ellicott Gardens and Ellicott Gardens 2 and runs the Leola Dorsey Community Resource Center. Revenue is derived from HUD operating subsidies and capital fund grants, Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) equity, tax-exempt bond financing, and rental income from owned properties. HCHC operates a wholly-owned 501(c)(3) subsidiary, Howard Connect, Inc., and partners with the Howard County Non-Profit Collaborative, Inc. to coordinate housing with health, education, and employment services. Senior leadership includes Executive Director Peter Engel, CFO Linda Hua, and directors covering development, rental assistance, asset management, and administration. Technology infrastructure centers on the RentCafe resident/landlord portal and HUD's Enterprise Income Verification system, with no disclosed AI or machine-learning capabilities.

Name

Howard County Housing

Legal name

Howard County Housing Commission

Website

https://househoward.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Howard County Housing Commission is a Maryland Public Housing Authority operating in Columbia that owns 1,900+ affordable rental units, administers 1,400+ Housing Choice Vouchers, and coordinates supportive services for low-income, disabled, and special-needs households countywide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Housing Authority Services

NAICS

Administration of Housing Programs (925110), Rental and Leasing Services (532)

SIC

Operators Of Apartment Buildings (6513), Federal & Federally-Sponsored Credit Agencies (6111), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Public & Affordable Housing Programs (Subsidies, Vouchers, Public Housing) (BPAIANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Housing Voucher & Rental Assistance Programs (Tenant-Based/Project-Based) (FSALAKAI), Affordable & Subsidized Housing Property Management (LIHTC, Section 8) (BPAJAFAD), Housing & Neighborhood Services (Local Housing Programs) (BPAIACAJ), Fair Housing, Compliance & Housing Program Oversight (FSALAKAN)

Keywords

• Affordable housing programs
• Public housing authority
• Housing choice vouchers
• Rental assistance services
• Low income housing

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. HUD Housing Choice Voucher Program Funding: Federal rental assistance funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to subsidize housing for low-income families through the HCV program.
2. Rental Income from Commission-Owned Properties: Revenue from rental operations across 1,900+ owned units including family properties, senior properties, and mixed-income communities.
3. Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Financing: Tax credit partnerships used to finance development and redevelopment of affordable housing properties including Ellicott Gardens (106 units) and other communities.
4. Tax-Exempt Bond Financing: Commission issues tax-exempt bonds to acquire and develop properties such as Columbia Landing Apartments and The Leola Dorsey Community Resource Center.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Howard County Housing Commission operates as a Public Housing Authority that administers the federally funded Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) rental subsidy program serving approximately 1,400 low-income households and directly owns and manages more than 1,900 rental housing units across Howard County, Maryland. Its offerings include the Housing Choice Voucher Program, HCV Homeownership Program, Family Self-Sufficiency Program, Mainstream Vouchers (Section 811) for disabled individuals, HOPWA for persons with HIV/AIDS, and a portfolio of family and senior affordable housing properties.

Product overview

Howard County Housing Commission operates as a multi-faceted housing authority offering both rental assistance programs and directly-owned affordable housing properties. The core programs include the Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8), which provides rental subsidies to low-income households, and the Family Self-Sufficiency Program, which helps families achieve economic independence. The Commission also administers specialized programs including the Homeownership Program for voucher holders, HOPWA for families with HIV/AIDS, and Mainstream Vouchers for disabled populations. In addition to these programs, the Commission owns and manages over 1,900 rental units across Howard County, Maryland, including family communities (Azure Oxford Square, Burgess Mill Station, Monarch Mills, Columbia Landing, Ellicott Gardens, Gateway Village, Orchard Meadows, Patuxent Commons, Robinson Overlook, RiverWatch, Verona at Oakland Mills) and senior properties (Morningside Park, Overlook at Monarch Mills, Selborne House of Dorsey Hall, Tiber Hudson). The Commission partners with human service agencies to provide supportive housing for homeless and special populations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Housing Choice Voucher Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3,000 families served through owned properties and HCV vouchers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Grassroots Crisis Intervention CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Commission partners with Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center to provide supportive services at The Leola Dorsey Community Resource Center, a 35-unit supportive housing and day resource facility in Jessup. Grassroots provides day resource services for homeless individuals.
• Volunteers of AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with Volunteers of America to provide supportive housing services at The Leola Dorsey Community Resource Center, addressing the needs of homeless and special populations in Howard County.
• Bridges to Housing StabilitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Commission partners with Bridges to Housing Stability along with the Howard County Department of Corrections and Howard County Health Department to provide housing combined with supportive services for populations such as individuals with disabilities and ex-offenders.
• Howard County Department of CorrectionsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners to provide housing with supportive services for ex-offenders transitioning back to the community.
• Howard County Health DepartmentminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners to provide housing with supportive services for individuals with disabilities, combining housing assistance with health and wellness support.
• Baltimore Metropolitan Council (BMC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHoward County Housing Commission is a partner with BMC and others in the Baltimore Regional Project-Based Voucher (PBV) Program. The collaboration issues RFPs for property owners and developers seeking to provide affordable housing to low-income people and families in safe communities with access to high-performing public schools.
• Baltimore City Mayor's Office of Human ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Commission partners with the Baltimore City Mayor's Office of Human Services to make the HOPWA (Housing Opportunities for Persons with Aids) program available in Howard County, dedicated to addressing the housing needs of low-income families living with HIV/AIDS.
• Private Developers (Various)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrough land acquisitions, ground leases and equity contributions, the Commission has partnered with private developers to facilitate the development of close to 800 affordable units. Examples include Riverwatch (84 units in Elkridge) and various other mixed-income communities.
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)coreOthersHUD funds and regulates the Housing Choice Voucher program administered by the Commission. The Commission also uses HUD's Enterprise Income Verification system and is subject to HUD's Housing Quality Standards.
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) - Section 811coreOthersHUD's Section 811 Mainstream Grant provides vouchers to help non-elderly, disabled families with housing assistance. Priority given to families transitioning out of institutional settings, at serious risk of institutionalization, homeless, or at risk of becoming homeless.
• Howard County Department of Recreation and ParksminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Roger Carter Community Center at Burgess Mill Station was built by the Commission and financed through lease revenue bonds and CDBG funds. The center is leased to and operated by Howard County Department of Recreation and Parks, serving the Burgess Mill Station community and the larger Ellicott City community.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Anne Arundel County Housing Authority: Adjacent Maryland county PHA that operates HCV administration and affordable rental housing within Anne Arundel County. Directly comparable PHA functions and tenant profile given the contiguous Baltimore-Washington geography.
• Prince George's County Housing Authority: Neighboring Maryland PHA administering HUD programs (HCV, public housing) and operating affordable rental communities across Prince George's County. Comparable public-agency structure and mix of federal funding with owned-portfolio management.
• Fairfax County Department of Housing and Community Development: Virginia PHA for one of the wealthiest U.S. counties. Closely comparable to HCHC in mission (HUD voucher administration + owned affordable rental portfolio) and demographic context (high-cost suburban county).
• Housing Authority of Baltimore City: Baltimore regional PHA partner that jointly participates with HCHC in the Baltimore Regional Project-Based Voucher Program. Operates HUD programs at a different scale and urban context but shares regulatory and funding structure.
• Baltimore County Office of Housing: Baltimore-area public housing function operating HUD voucher programs and affordable housing within Baltimore County. Shares the same regional housing market, Fair Housing Analysis participation, and HUD regulatory environment as HCHC.
• Montgomery County Department of Housing and Community Affairs (MD): Public housing authority for Montgomery County, Maryland — the most directly comparable peer to HCHC given shared state regulatory environment, similarly affluent suburban Maryland county, and overlapping PHA programmatic scope (HCV, owned LIHTC portfolio, mixed-income development).
• Arlington County Housing Division (VA): Virginia-affiliated housing office for an affluent, high-cost DC suburb. Comparable to HCHC in mission (voucher + affordable housing development in a wealthy county where subsidy need outstrips supply) and demographically similar tenant profile.
• Loudoun County Department of Housing and Community Development (VA): Affluent Virginia suburban housing authority with overlapping HUD-administered programs and affordable rental portfolio. Similar in scale of operation to HCHC and facing comparable per-unit cost pressures.

Broad incumbents

• Enterprise Community Partners: National nonprofit CDFI and affordable housing developer/partner that HCHC engages with for development capital and technical assistance. Overlapping ecosystem role but operates at much greater scale across multiple markets and product types.

Emerging players

• NHP Foundation: Mid-Atlantic-focused nonprofit affordable housing provider operating mission-aligned rental communities similar to HCHC's owned portfolio (LIHTC-financed mixed-income properties). Comparable operational model but private nonprofit rather than government PHA structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Howard County Housing