Baltimore Regional Housing Partnership (BRHP) is a non-profit, 501(c)3 organization with a mission to expand housing choices for families with low incomes who have historically been excluded from housing in well-resourced neighborhoods by helping them to access and transition successfully to safe, healthy, and economically vibrant communities. BRHP was created in response to a housing desegregation lawsuit, Thompson v. HUD.  

The Thompson v. HUD settlement agreement provided rental assistance with pre- and post-move counseling services to help families move to low-poverty neighborhoods and access areas of greater opportunity. When selected from the BRHP wait list, families will begin pre-move counseling before receiving their voucher and must live in an opportunity area for at least two years.  BRHP serves as a subcontractor of the Housing Authority of Baltimore City (HABC), to administer the Baltimore Housing Mobility Program (BHMP). 

The vouchers used in the BHMP are Housing Choice Vouchers, a program that provides a rental subsidy to low-income families to help them afford housing in the private market. Program participants can choose any eligible housing unit, including single-family homes, townhouses, and apartments, with rent partially covered by a subsidy paid directly to the landlord. BRHP’s vouchers can be used within the Baltimore region, which includes Baltimore City, Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Caroll County, Harford County, and Howard County. BRHP is opening its HCV waiting list for both tenant-based and project-based vouchers. 

A tenant-based voucher is a type of HCV assistance and a contract between a Public Housing Authority (PHA) or housing voucher provider like BRHP, and a program participant. Unlike project-based vouchers, the tenant-based voucher is tied to the tenant. This means that if you choose to move with a tenant-based voucher, the assistance moves with you. 

Some agencies, including BRHP, have contracts with property owners to reserve units for voucher holders, making it easier to find housing. These are called Project Based Vouchers (PBVs) and are another form of HCV assistance. PBVs have similar requirements as regular tenant-based Housing Choice Vouchers, but the assistance is tied to the specific unit rather than the tenant. This means that once you move out of a PBV unit, the assistance stays with that unit. 

No. BRHP expects to receive tens of thousands of applications. Only approximately 5,000 applicants will be placed on the waiting list. Placement is based on eligibility, ranking preferences, and random selection among the highest-ranked applicants. Submitting an application does not guarantee placement on the waiting list or receipt of housing assistance.  

BRHP’s preferences prioritize families with young children living in high-poverty neighborhoods. Because demand greatly exceeds available space, households without children may have a very limited chance of being placed on the waiting list. See Question #8 below for a detailed explanation of BRHP’s preferences. 

• BRHP vouchers must be used in opportunity areas initially, for a period of two years.   

• The BRHP program requires participants to enroll in housing mobility counseling. 

• BRHP prioritizes families with young children. 

• HABC primarily serves housing within Baltimore City, whereas BRHP serves the entire Baltimore region. 

Applicants must meet the following eligibility requirements to qualify for the wait list. 

• A family’s annual income and family size determines eligibility under the program. Income limits are listed in the table below. Generally, families must be extremely low-income or very low-income to qualify. 

• At least one person in the household must be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen as defined by HUD. 

*The Low-Income limit only applies to households who are eligible for “continued assistance,” meaning that they are already receiving federal housing assistance in the form of Public Housing, Project-Based Rental Assistance, or a Housing Choice Voucher. 

In addition to the income and citizenship requirements, BRHP uses preferences to rank applicants on the wait list. More information on these preferences can be found in Question #8 below.  

BRHP has two types of preferences – local preferences that are required by the Thompson v. HUD settlement agreement, and separate ranking preferences that it has chosen to adopt. The local preferences prioritize: 

• current, displaced, and former residents of HABC public housing, 

• families on HABC’s public housing and HCV wait list,  

• and families living in a neighborhood with an African-American population of 75% or greater.  

Households who do not meet at least one of these three local preferences are not eligible for placement on the wait list.  

BRHP’s second type of preferences prioritize families with young children living in high-poverty neighborhoods in Baltimore City, especially families living in a neighborhood with a poverty rate of 30% or higher. Applicants can see if their neighborhood qualifies for either of the neighborhood-based preferences using this search tool. 

BRHP will use information that applicants provide in the Applicant Portal to determine the preferences for which applicants are eligible.

Yes, you can be on the waitlist for multiple PHAs.

Yes, however, if you are placed on the wait list and then later selected, your eligibility will be determined according to the policies stated in BRHP’s Administrative Plan (see Chapter 17, Denial or Termination of Assistance). 

The Housing Choice Voucher Waitlist will be open between May 4, 2026 9:00 AM EST and May 8, 2026 11:59 PM EST. Applications will only be accepted during this time.

Beginning on May 4, 2026, you may apply using the Applicant Portal.  

Using the Applicant Portal link on BRHP’s Wait List page, click on “Click here to register.” Select “I do NOT have a registration code” and complete the Personal Details and Account Information sections. Once you successfully register, you will have the option to either receive a code via email or text, or to have a log-in link sent to your email address. BRHP strongly recommends choosing the option to use a link sent to your email address. The link will be valid for 30 minutes after you receive it.

You should make a new account in the Applicant Portal with a new email address that you are currently able to access.  

No, applications are only accepted electronically through the Applicant Portal. Paper applications will not be accepted unless provided as part of a reasonable accommodation or for persons with limited English proficiency (LEP). Please see Questions #26 and #27 below about the process for requesting a reasonable accommodation or translation.

You will need to provide a valid email address, current home address, household income, and the name, social security number, and date of birth of each of your family members that would be living with you.

Yes. If you are experiencing homelessness or housing instability and can’t provide a permanent home address in your application, you will need to provide an address where you can receive mail. This address could be the location of a shelter or other transitional location where you are staying, or the address of a trusted family member or friend.

Yes, there are downloadable instructions for the Applicant Portal on the Wait List page. A recorded video walking through the steps to complete the application process is also available on the Wait List page. 

No, there is no cost to submit a wait list application. BRHP will never ask for any payment information from you as part of the application process. Do not provide information to anyone claiming to be able to help you with a spot on the wait list in exchange for payment.  

BRHP does not use third-party vendors to secure spots on the waiting list. No one can increase your chances of selection. 

Yes. During the application process for the tenant-based wait list, you will be asked if you would also like to join the project-based wait list. 

Once the application window has closed on May 8, BRHP will rank all eligible applicants based on the number of preference points they qualify for. Among all applicants above a certain ranking, BRHP will randomly select approximately 5,000 applicants for selection to the wait list. 

It is important to note that BRHP only serves between 100-200 new families from the wait list each year.  Placement on the wait list is not a guarantee of assistance, and selection from the wait list may take years. 

Yes, you are able to start an application and save it while you work on it. Incomplete or late applications will not be accepted. Complete applications must be submitted during the open period of May 4, 2026 to May 8, 2026.

Most applicants will be able to complete the application on their own. The application is designed to be straight forward and works like other common online forms, such as those used for school registration, job applications, or benefits programs. It should take approximately 15 minutes to complete if you have your household information ready. 

Before seeking in-person assistance, we encourage applicants to: 

• Carefully read each question in the Applicant Portal 

• Use the downloadable instructions and video recording available on our website 

• Ask a trusted family member or friend for help if needed 

• Email BRHP at applicants@brhp.org or call 667-207-2190 

BRHP will have limited in-person assistance available for applicants in its Client Service Center at 100 North Charles Street on May 4-8, 2026, from 9:00am to 5:00pm and on Wednesday, May 6 and Friday, May 8 from 5:00pm to 8:00pm. Assistance will also be available at the Enoch Pratt Central Library location at 400 Cathedral Street on May 4-8, 2026, from 10:00am to 5:00pm. Please note that capacity for in-person assistance at both locations will be extremely limited and will require an appointment. Applicants are strongly encouraged to complete the application on their own and call or email with any questions. To make an in-person appointment, please call 667-207-2190.  

Please email applicants@brhp.org or call 667-207-2190. 

Yes, you may choose to have a trusted friend, family member, or service provider enter your information on the Applicant Portal on your behalf. If you have someone complete the application on your behalf, please keep in mind that the email address used to set up your Applicant Portal account is what BRHP will use to communicate with you about your application. 

Individuals with disabilities may request a reasonable accommodation for assistance with their application by completing the Reasonable Accommodation Request Form. BRHP must receive reasonable accommodation requests before the application deadline, May 8, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST.

Yes, the online application is currently available in Spanish in the Applicant Portal. Applicants may request other translations by completing the Language Access Request Form. BRHP must receive translation requests before the application deadline, May 8, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST.  

Your information will be used by BRHP for the purpose of administering its wait list for the Housing Choice Voucher program. Wait list information may also be used by BRHP for research purposes, but research partners would not have access to information like your name and date of birth, and your personal information would never appear in a report. BRHP manages all applicant information according to federal privacy laws and BRHP’s privacy policies. 

No, this email serves to notify you that your application has been received. This does not mean you have been chosen to be on the wait list.  

All applicants will be notified by email whether they have been randomly selected to be added to the wait list, using the email address the applicant used to create an account in the Applicant Portal.

BRHP will notify all applicants no later than 120 days after the wait list closes.  Due to the high volume of applications, BRHP will not be able to provide individual status updates during this period. During this time, please do not contact BRHP to ask about the status of your application. 

No, until BRHP notifies applicants about their wait list status, applicants cannot make any changes to their application. Once applicants have been notified, you may access the Applicant Portal at any time and update your contact information, including your address, email address, and phone number. It is your responsibility to ensure that your contact information in the Applicant Portal is up to date so that BRHP can successfully contact you.

If you need immediate assistance, please contact: 

• Maryland 211 

• United Way Helpline 

• Baltimore Mayor’s Office of Children & Family Success 

• Maryland Department of Housing & Community Development