Low-income apartments in Baltimore: how to find and apply

Low-income apartments in Baltimore, Maryland come mostly from the Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC), which runs public housing and Housing Choice Vouchers, and from private owners of income-restricted buildings. As of October 5, 2026, both HABC waiting lists were closed, so the search now runs building by building.

What we track in Baltimore. As of October 5, 2026, we list no open Baltimore listings. Our three Maryland listings are for-sale townhouses in Montgomery County, far from the city. This guide points to the official routes. See our Maryland page and our subsidized housing guide for the basics.

What are the lists in Baltimore, and are they open?

HABC says it accepted all 27,842 applications it received during the 2023 opening, which took place online only over two weeks. Its list page says applicants were placed on the waiting list through a random selection process, and applicants were told in writing by March 30, 2024. If you applied then, check your status in the MyHousing Portal, and keep your address, phone number and email current.

What did the last opening look like?

HABC's 2023 voucher opening shows how a big city list works. Preliminary applications were accepted online only, from 9:00 a.m. on October 2 to 11:59 p.m. on October 13, 2023. People without a computer or phone could get help at public walk-in sites, such as Our Daily Bread and Health Care for the Homeless, or call 1-888-302-4303. HABC says who went on the list was chosen by random selection. If a list opens again, expect a short window and have your household's details ready.

Who runs what in the Baltimore area?

• Housing Authority of Baltimore City. Runs public housing and vouchers within the city. For public housing it is moving to location-based lists, where you pick up to three developments, plus a first-available list. For vouchers it says the wait cannot be predicted and depends on how many applicants rank above you and on funding.
• Baltimore County Office of Housing. Runs vouchers in the county outside the city. Its page says families with the earliest date and time of application are served first.
• Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development. The state agency sponsors MDHousingSearch.org, a free rental search it sponsors, with a help line at 1-877-428-8844, and points people to their local housing authority for vouchers. It also lists the Maryland Renters' Tax Credit, a payment of up to $1,000 a year for qualified renters.
• Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership. A nonprofit that runs the Baltimore Housing Mobility Program for Baltimore City and five surrounding counties. It reopened its voucher list for a one-week window, May 4 to 8, 2026, the first since 2017. It placed 5,000 applicants by established eligibility and priority, not first come, first served, and families with young children, ties to city public housing or vouchers, or homes in high-poverty city neighborhoods were most likely to be prioritized. Check brhp.org for the next window.
• Other counties. Anne Arundel, Carroll, Harford, Howard and Queen Anne's counties share the same income limits below but each has its own housing office. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has a contact list that names the local agency.

What are the 2026 income limits for Baltimore?

HUD publishes limits for the Baltimore-Columbia-Towson area, which includes Baltimore city and the surrounding counties above. The 2026 median family income is $134,000. The limits took effect May 1, 2026. All figures are yearly household income. HUD names the extremely low, very low and low limits after 30%, 50% and 80% of the area median income for a four-person household, scales them for other household sizes, raises some where rents are high compared with incomes and never sets the extremely low limit below the federal poverty guideline, so a figure can differ from that share of the median.

HABC says very low income families have incomes below 50% of the area median. Tax-credit and mixed-income buildings often use their own lines, so read each building's chart. We list none for Baltimore, so the table is HUD's. See what area median income means, try our qualify page or read how to qualify for affordable housing.

How does rent work with a voucher?

HABC says tenants in voucher units pay 30% of their income for rent and utilities, and the voucher pays the landlord directly. The initial voucher term is 120 days. HABC lets a family move with a voucher to any housing agency's area in the United States, but if you lived outside Baltimore City when you applied, you must use the voucher inside the city for the first year. Our guide to the Housing Choice Voucher program explains the rules after you are chosen.

Where do you look while the lists are closed?

1. Search MDHousingSearch.org for apartments with affordable rents. Each listing shows its own rules and contact.
2. Call buildings. Tax-credit and income-restricted properties keep their own lists. Ask whether the list is open, the income chart and the documents they need.
3. Use HUD's affordable apartment search for HUD-assisted buildings.
4. Check the agencies' websites. Baltimore County says it is not accepting preliminary applications until further notice, and the Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership's site is the place to watch for its next window.
5. Keep records ready. Our guide to how to apply for affordable housing lists the documents to gather.

How do you spot a scam?

• Never pay anyone to be added to a waitlist. HUD's inspector general warns of fake waitlist announcements on social media.
• Use only the housing authority's own website or phone number to confirm an opening.
• The Federal Trade Commission warns that fake rental ads ask for wire transfers or gift cards and rush you. It advises searching the owner's or rental company's name with words like "complaint," "review" or "scam," and seeing the property, if you can, before you pay.

What do we list in Maryland?

As of October 5, 2026, we list three open Maryland listings, all for-sale townhouses in Clarksburg through Montgomery County's moderately priced home program, with drawings scheduled for October 7, 12 and 16. None is in Baltimore, so check the listings page for what is open now. See all listings.