The Hagerstown Homeownership Initiative (HHI) offers an applicant up to $7,500 in down payment/closing cost incentives to reduce the barriers associated with homeownership within the City of Hagerstown by providing support in the form of a forgivable loan-to-grant program. This investment will support our neighborhoods across the city by reducing vacant homes and boosting new homeownership.
In January 2022, the program was updated with the following changes to remove barriers and open the program to more applicants:
- Removing the 12-month vacancy requirement.
- Removing the “built prior to 1960” property age requirement.
- Removing rehabilitation expenses as an eligible use of the grant funding.
- Extending eligible properties to include townhomes and condos.
- Establishing priority to first time home buyers, current renters, and those purchasing vacant properties.
- Requiring applications to be submitted at least 30days prior to settlement versus 15business days.
- Clarifying that the program is loan to grant, and no payments would be required to the City if conditions are met.