Frederick County Affordable Housing Land Trust

The Frederick County Affordable Housing Land Trust is the first community land trust in the state of Maryland. It received the Innovation Award from the Community Development Network of Maryland in 2016 for its trailblazing efforts to create long-lasting affordable housing units for our neighbors in need of affordable homeownership solutions.

Through this program, Habitat for Humanity of Frederick County obtains homes throughout the county that are rundown, in disrepair or otherwise available at a low cost. The homes are repaired and renovated by volunteers and local partners to be ready to resell as an affordable housing unit. When the home is finished, it is sold to an income-qualified home buyer; however, the Land Trust retains ownership of the land, which reduces the purchase price to the homeowner. Through a 99-year renewable lease, the homeowner pays an annual fee to the Land Trust, which supports its operations, and the Land Trust retains permanent ownership of the land.

Land Trust homeowners can sell their home, at a price set by the Land Trust, and earn a portion of the increase in the value of their home. The home is sold to a new qualifying home buyer at a price that has been kept affordable.  Through this model, Land Trust homes are kept in affordability for perpetuity.

Applicant Eligibility

To qualify as a Land Trust homeowner, you must:

  1. demonstrate a need for safe, affordable housing,
  2. currently live or work in Frederick County (for a minimum of one year), and
  3. have a total family income between 30% and 80% of Frederick County’s median income. See the below chart for qualifications.

Based on the concept of partnership, Habitat for Humanity commits to working with the local community to renovate Land Trust houses and sell them to qualified buyers with a low-interest mortgage. In turn, Land Trust home buyers must contribute “sweat equity” on the home renovation or volunteer in other ways.  Additionally, they must attend homeownership workshops, follow program guidelines and repay their mortgage.

To be considered for the Land Trust program…

Click here to fill out an online interest form.

To be considered for an upcoming Land Trust home purchase, complete the interest form and return it to info@frederickhabitat.org or mail to:

Habitat for Humanity of Frederick County, MD
24 S. Wisner Street, Suite 130
Frederick, MD 21701

A few of our Land Trust homeowners…

Bill & Catherine Monto, 6th Street in Frederick

Keysha Saxon, Hamilton Avenue in Frederick.

Habitat for Humanity Frederick
24 S. Wisner Street, Suite 130
Habitat for Humanity Frederick
Frederick, MD 21701
Habitat for Humanity Frederick
301-698-2449
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