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Buy Back the Block

Baltimore, Maryland

Last verified
See what you qualify forOfficial program site →
Income limit

120% AMI

Of area median income; varies by county and household size

Price cap

$731,400

Highest purchase price the program allows

Repayment

Grant

Not repaid

What is Buy Back the Block?

Buy Back the Block is a grant for homebuyers in Baltimore, Maryland.

  • Anti-displacement GRANT program for renters in Black-majority Baltimore neighborhoods. $15K purchase OR $20K purchase + renovation grant (no repayment). 12-month neighborhood residency requirement. Open to FTHB and repeat buyers. Funded by $3.06M ARPA allocation; administered by Live Baltimore. 120+ eligible neighborhoods as of 2025.
  • Buy Back the Block (BBB) is a TRUE GRANT (no repayment) of $15,000 for home purchase, OR $20,000 for home purchase + renovation, awarded to qualifying long-term renters in historically Black-majority Baltimore neighborhoods who buy in those same neighborhoods - explicitly designed to prevent renter displacement and create generational wealth in disinvested Black communities. Funded with $3.06M of Baltimore City's $100M ARPA fiscal recovery allocation in November 2022.
  • administered by Live Baltimore in partnership with Baltimore City DHCD. EXPANDED in 2024-2025 from initial 15 neighborhoods to 120+ Baltimore neighborhoods (designation by Baltimore Department of Planning based on Black-majority + middle-neighborhood / disinvestment criteria). As of April 2025, $750,000+ disbursed serving 60+ buyers.
  • program stabilizing toward 270+ households over full ARPA period. Income cap ~$132,000 (per LendSquawk seed).
  • max purchase price $667,000 (per seed.
  • aligns with FHA Baltimore MSA loan limit). Must work with Live Baltimore-approved lender. Not FTHB-only.
  • Funding comes from Federal ARPA and Local Government.

Do you have to pay it back?

Buy Back the Block is structured as a grant, so it is not repaid.

  • Repayment is triggered by True grant - NO repayment, NO forgiveness schedule, NO recapture (subject to standard ARPA/grant rules and any city retention covenant if applicable - none currently disclosed).
  • Forgiveness and repayment terms are set by the program and can change — confirm them on the official program page before applying.

Who qualifies?

Buy Back the Block is open to buyers who will live in the home as their primary residence.

The program requires

  • The home is occupied as a primary residence
  • On credit: No published BBB-specific minimum; first-mortgage lender's product minimums apply.
  • A completed homebuyer education course, through Baltimore City-approved homeownership counseling agency. Buyer must complete pre-purchase counseling and obtain certificate.
  • Residency: Must have lived in a grant-eligible neighborhood for at least 12 months prior to purchase agreement; must purchase within an eligible neighborhood.
  • Citizenship or immigration status: Per first-mortgage product rules.
  • RESIDENCY: Must currently live in a grant-eligible neighborhood AND have lived in that grant-eligible area for at least 12 months prior to entering purchase agreement. PURCHASE: Must purchase a home located within a grant-eligible neighborhood (does not need to be the same neighborhood, but must be on the eligible-neighborhood list - see Live Baltimore map). Owner-occupied primary residence. Must complete homeownership counseling with a Baltimore City-approved agency and obtain certificate. Must work with a Live Baltimore-approved lender. Income limit per Live Baltimore guidelines (~$132,000 household). Maximum purchase price ~$667,000 (FHA Baltimore MSA loan limit). Eligible to first-time and repeat buyers (program is designed for renters, not strictly FTHB).

The program excludes

  • Manufactured homes
  • Purchases above the $731,400 price cap
  • Households above 120% of area median income

These are the program's own published rules, not a decision about any individual — the administering agency and a lender determine who actually qualifies.

What are the income limits?

Buy Back the Block limits household income to 120% of the area median income, which varies by county and household size.

  • Household income limit per Live Baltimore BBB guidelines, approximately $132,000 (household, all earners). Verify current eligibility on Live Baltimore eligibility quiz.
  • The limit applies to total household income, not only the borrower’s.
  • Area median income figures are published by HUD and updated annually, so check the current table for the county before relying on a number.

What kind of home can it be used for?

Buy Back the Block caps the purchase price at $731,400.

  • Eligible property types include Single-family detached, Townhome, Rowhouse, Condominium, and 2-4 unit owner-occupied.
  • New construction is eligible.
  • Manufactured homes are not eligible.

Where does it apply?

Buy Back the Block serves buyers purchasing in Baltimore, Maryland.

  • The program targets specific areas: RACIAL/GEOGRAPHIC ANTI-DISPLACEMENT TARGETING: Eligible neighborhoods are designated by Baltimore City Department of Planning based on historical Black-majority + middle-neighborhood / disinvestment criteria. Initial 15 neighborhoods (2022 launch) included Druid Heights, Penn North, Park Heights, Sandtown-Winchester, Reservoir Hill, etc. EXPANDED in 2024-2025 to 120+ neighborhoods covering broad swaths of West, East, and Northwest Baltimore. Buyer must currently live (12+ months) in an eligible neighborhood AND purchase within an eligible neighborhood. Live Baltimore publishes interactive eligibility map at livebaltimore.com/bbb/.

How do you apply?

Applications for Buy Back the Block go through the administering agency, which publishes the current terms and the application steps on its own site.

  1. Take a homebuyer education course

    Required by the program, through Baltimore City-approved homeownership counseling agency. Buyer must complete pre-purchase counseling and obtain certificate..

  2. Contact the administering agency to reserve funds

    Funds are reserved through Take Live Baltimore's BBB eligibility quiz at livebaltimore.com/bbb. Approved buyers work with Live Baltimore-approved lender; grant disbursed at closing. First-come, first-served while ARPA funds remain., and are subject to availability.

  3. Work with a lender who handles the program

    Hey Prescott is not a lender and does not accept applications; this page describes the program so a buyer can take it to a lender or housing counselor.

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