Housing help · Maryland

Rent & mortgage help in Maryland

Behind on rent, facing eviction, or worried about your mortgage? Start with the section that fits you. Everything here is free.

Links last checked October 26, 2026. Programs open and close, so confirm before you apply.

Call 211Or text your ZIP code to 898-211. Free, 24/7 in most areas: local rent, utility and food help.

HUD counseling line: (800) 569-4287Connects you to a HUD-approved housing counselor, free or low-cost.

Act fast

Got an eviction notice?

Don't ignore it, and don't move out yet. Read every date on the notice. In most cases a landlord has to go through the court to make you leave, and you have the right to respond.
Go to your court date. If you miss it, you can lose automatically.
Get free legal help today. Legal aid offices help low-income tenants for free, and having a lawyer can change the outcome. Use the legal aid finders below.
Apply for rent help at the same time. Some programs can pay back rent so the case gets dropped. Tell them you have an eviction case, since some programs put those first.
Keep records. Save every notice, receipt, text and email with your landlord.

Find free legal aid →Legal Services Corporation's map of legal aid offices. Maryland tenant rights →Pick Maryland on LawHelp.org for guides and local legal help. HUD eviction help for Maryland →HUD's page of Maryland eviction prevention resources.

Eviction help HUD lists for Maryland

Get caught up

Behind on rent

Call 211 (or text your ZIP code to 898-211). Tell them how much you owe and by when. They know which local programs have money right now.
Contact your community action agency. These local nonprofits often hand out emergency rent and utility money. Find yours by ZIP →
Talk to your landlord early, before the rent is late if you can. Ask for a payment plan in writing. Use our script →
Free up money from other bills. Utility help and SNAP food benefits can leave more for rent. National Energy Assistance Referral line: (866) 674-6327.

Programs HUD lists for Maryland

From HUD's Rental Help: Maryland page. Watch out for anyone who charges a fee to "help" you apply for rent assistance. Real programs are free.

Longer term

Need cheaper housing

Housing authorities run two big programs. Section 8 (Housing Choice Vouchers) helps pay rent for a home you find. Public housing is apartments they own. Rent is usually about 30% of your income.

Waitlists are often long or closed. Apply to more than one housing authority. Many let you apply even if you don't live in their area.
Keep your contact info updated with every list you're on. If they can't reach you when your name comes up, you can lose your spot.
Ask each office about other programs. Some have shorter waits for seniors, people with disabilities, or veterans.

All 30 housing authorities in Maryland

Housing Authority of the City of Annapolis Annapolis · Section 8 + public housing
(410) 267-8000 · Email
Baltimore County, MD Baltimore · Section 8
(410) 887-2766 · Email
Housing Authority Of Baltimore City Baltimore · Section 8 + public housing
(410) 396-3232 · Email
Harford County Housing Agency Bel Air · Section 8
(410) 638-3045 · Email
Housing Authority of Cambridge Cambridge · Public housing
(410) 228-6856 · Email
Queen Anne's County Housing Authority Centreville · Section 8 + public housing
(410) 758-8634 · Email
College Park Housing Authority College Park · Public housing
(301) 345-3600 · Email
Howard County Housing Commission Columbia · Section 8 + public housing
(443) 518-7800 · Email
Housing Authority Of Crisfield Crisfield · Public housing
(410) 968-0289 · Email
Housing Authority of the City of Cumberland Cumberland · Public housing
(301) 724-6606 · Email
Housing Commission of Talbot Easton · Section 8 + public housing
(410) 822-5358 · Email
Cecil County Housing Agency Elkton · Section 8
(410) 996-5245 · Email
Elkton Housing Authority Elkton · Public housing
(410) 398-5018 · Email
Frederick Housing Authority Frederick · Section 8 + public housing
(301) 662-8173 · Email
Housing Authority of the City of Frostburg Frostburg · Public housing
(301) 689-9700 · Email
Housing Commisson Of Anne Arundel County Glen Burnie · Section 8 + public housing
(410) 222-6205 · Email
Glenarden Housing Authority Glenarden · Public housing
(301) 772-0880 · Email
Hagerstown Housing Authority Hagerstown · Section 8 + public housing
(301) 733-6911 · Email
Havre de Grace Housing Authority Havre De Grace · Public housing
(410) 939-2097
Housing Opprty Com of Montgomery CO Kensington · Section 8 + public housing
(240) 627-9400 · Email
MD Dept. Of Housing and Community Development Lanham · Section 8
(301) 429-7400 · Email
Housing Authority of Prince Georges County Largo · Section 8 + public housing
(301) 883-5552 · Email
Housing Authority of St. Mary's County, MD Lexington Park · Section 8 + public housing
(301) 880-7074 · Email
County Commissioners Charles County Port Tobacco · Section 8
(301) 934-0112 · Email
Housing Authority of Calvert County Prince Frederick · Section 8 + public housing
(410) 535-5010 · Email
Rockville Housing Enterprises Rockville · Section 8 + public housing
(301) 424-6265 · Email
Wicomico County Housing Authority Salisbury · Section 8 + public housing
(410) 749-1383 · Email
Carroll County Housing & Community Dev Westminster · Section 8
(410) 386-3600 · Email
City Of Westminster Housing Office Westminster · Section 8
(410) 848-2261 · Email
Housing Authority of Washington County Williamsport · Section 8
(301) 791-3168 · Email

Homeowners

Behind on your mortgage

Call your mortgage servicer now, the company you send payments to, even if foreclosure has already started. Ask what options they have, such as a repayment plan, forbearance (a pause), or a loan modification.
Talk to a free HUD-approved housing counselor. They can review your options and help you deal with the servicer. Call (800) 569-4287 or pick one below.
Ask about state help. Your state's housing finance agency may run programs for homeowners. Check HUD's Maryland links above, and ask your counselor what's open now.

41 HUD-approved housing counselors in Maryland

Anne Arundel County Community Action Agency, Incorporated Annapolis · English, Spanish
(410) 626-1900 · Email · Website
Arundel Community Development Service INC Annapolis · English, Spanish
(410) 222-7612 · Email · Website
Belair - Edison Neighborhoods, INC. Baltimore · English
(410) 485-8422
Comprehensive Housing Assistance, INC Baltimore · Sign language, English, Russian, Spanish
(410) 500-5300 · Email · Website
Credit.org - Maryland Branch Baltimore · English, Spanish
(800) 431-8157 · Email · Website
Druid Heights Community Development Corp. Baltimore · English
(410) 523-1350 · Website
Garwyn Oaks Northwest Housing Resource Center, INC Baltimore · English
(410) 947-0084
Harbel Housing Partnership ( a Division of Harbel Community Organization, INC.) Baltimore · English
(410) 444-9152 · Email
Homefree-Usa Baltimore Branch Baltimore · English
(301) 891-8400 · Email · Website
Neighborhood Housing Services of Baltimore, INC. Baltimore · English, Spanish
(410) 327-1200 · Email · Website
Nsc (naca Counseling Subsidiary) - Baltimore, MD Baltimore · English, Spanish
(410) 783-0465 · Email · Website
Operation Hope- Baltimore Branch Baltimore · English
(856) 409-0078 · Email · Website
Southeast Community Development Corporation Baltimore · English, Spanish
(410) 342-3234 · Email · Website
St. Ambrose Housing Aid Center, INC. Baltimore · English
(410) 366-8550 · Website
Harford County, Maryland Bel Air · English
(410) 638-3045
United Communities Against Poverty Capitol Heights · English, Spanish
(301) 322-5700 · Email
Maryland Rural Development Corporation (mrdc) (kent CO) Chestertown · English
(667) 254-8051 · Email · Website
Allegany County Human Resources Development Commission, INC Cumberland · English
(301) 777-5970 · Email · Website
Cecil County Housing Agency Elkton · English
(410) 996-5245
Maryland Rural Development Corporation (mrdc) (cecil Co) Family Education Center Elkton · English
(667) 254-8063 · Email · Website
Maryland Rural Development Corporation (mrdc) Family Education Center Elkton · English
(667) 254-8063 · Email · Website
The City of Frederick Frederick · English
(301) 600-1506 · Email · Website
Housing Initiative Partnership, Inc.(hip) Gaithersburg · English, Portuguese, Spanish
(301) 916-5946 · Email · Website
Housing Initiative Partnership, Inc.(hip) Germantown · English, Spanish
(301) 916-5946 · Email · Website
Maryland Rural Development Corporation (mrdc) Greensboro · English
(410) 482-4800 · Email · Website
HAGERSTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP, INC.(HNDP)/ aka Hagerstown Home Store Hagerstown · English, Spanish
(301) 797-0900 · Email · Website
Southern Maryland Tri-County Community Action Hughesville · English, Spanish
(301) 274-4474 · Email · Website
Centro de Apoyo Familiar - Center for Assistance Families Hyattsville · English
(301) 328-3292 · Email
Housing Initiative Partnership, INC. (hip) Hyattsville · English, French, Portuguese, Spanish
(301) 699-3835 · Email · Website
Homefree-Usa of the Washington DC Metropolitan Area Landover · English, Spanish
(301) 891-8400 · Email · Website
Housing Options & Planning Enterprises, INC. Oxon Hill · English
(301) 567-3330 · Email
Operation Hope Pikesville MD Pikesville · English
(470) 223-0285 · Email · Website
Centro de Apoyo Familiar (caf) MD Riverdale · English
(301) 328-3292 · Email
Seed - Sowing Empowerment & Economic Development , INC. Riverdale · English, Spanish
(301) 458-9808 · Email · Website
Seed - Sowing Empowerment and Economic Development Riverdale · English, Spanish
(301) 458-9808 · Email · Website
Salisbury Neighborhood Housing Service, INC Salisbury · English, Spanish
(410) 543-4626 · Email · Website
Shore Up!, INC Salisbury · English
(410) 749-1142
Telamon Corporation - Salisbury Branch Salisbury · English
(919) 899-9911 · Email · Website
Latino Economic Development Corporation Silver Spring · English, Spanish
(202) 540-7426 · Email · Website
Habitat for Humanity Choptank Trappe · English
(410) 476-3204 · Email · Website
Diversified Housing Development, INC. Windsor Mill · English
(410) 496-1214 · Email · Website

Foreclosure rescue scams target people in your spot. The FTC warns:

It's illegal for a company to charge you anything until you have a written offer from your lender that you accept.
Never sign your home's deed over to anyone. You likely won't get it back, and you still owe the mortgage.
Anyone who tells you to stop talking to your lender or counselor, or guarantees results, is a red flag.

Near you

Free help near you

HUD-approved housing counselors give free or low-cost help with rent, budgets and avoiding foreclosure. Housing authorities run Section 8 vouchers and public housing.

More official finders

Free legal aid →Legal Services Corporation's map of free legal aid offices. Enter your address. Your state's legal help site →LawHelp.org: tenant rights guides and legal aid by state. Community action agency →Local nonprofits that often have emergency rent and utility money. Search by ZIP. Housing counselor finder →The CFPB's search of HUD's official counselor list.

Other states

Help in another state

See all 50 states and DC →

Need help right now? Dial 211 or text your ZIP code to 898-211 for local food, rent, and utility help, 24/7 in most areas. More free help →