Maryland Department of Housing and Community Devel

Welcome to Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development

The Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) announces that the Housing Choice Voucher and Project Based Housing Choice Voucher Programs waiting list for Maryland’s Eastern Shore will open on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 at 9:00 am and close on Thursday, April 30, 2026 at 5:00 pm for the following areas: Caroline County, Dorchester County, Kent County, Somerset County, Talbot County, Wicomico County, Worcester County and the Town of Elkton.

Preliminary applications must be submitted online at https://www.waitlistcheck.com/MD1645. The application is available in multiple languages. Individuals with disabilities or others who need additional support may receive assistance completing a preliminary application by emailing dhcd.hcv@maryland.gov or calling 410-901-4080 or 410-901-4081

All preliminary applicants will have an equal opportunity of being selected. Submission of a preliminary application does not guarantee placement on any waiting list. Waiting list placement will be based on a computerized random selection. Those selected will have their applications reviewed to determine preliminary eligibility and their preferences will be applied to the selected applicants to determine the final order of the waiting list. As housing vouchers become available, those next on the waiting lists will be contacted to complete a full eligibility application.

The Housing Choice Voucher Programs are federally funded, locally administered rental assistance program to assist very low-income families, the elderly, and persons with disabilities in securing decent, safe and affordable housing in the private market. The department administers the program for several counties on the Eastern Shore and in Western Maryland. Other larger jurisdictions in Maryland maintain their own local programs and waiting lists.

Eligibility for a housing voucher is determined based on a family’s total annual gross income and is limited to United States citizens and specified categories of non-citizens who have eligible immigration status. In general, the family’s income may not exceed 50% of the median income for the county or metropolitan area in which the family resides.

For more information, visit http://dhcd.maryland.gov/Residents/Pages/HousingChoice/. To check the status of an application, visit https://www.waitlistcheck.com

Reasonable Accommodation: It is the policy of the DHCD to provide reasonable accommodations to those persons with disabilities so that they can participate equally in its housing programs. To request a reasonable accommodation, please contact the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development's Eastern Shore Regional office at dhcd.hcv@maryland.gov or (410) 901-4080 or (410) 901-40081.

DHCD staff will also be available at the following locations to assist with completing applications:

Caroline County
Tuesday, April 7, 2026 | 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Caroline County Public Library – Meeting Room
100 Market Street, Denton, MD

Talbot County
Tuesday, April 7, 2026 | 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Talbot County Public Library
100 W. Dover Street, Easton, MD

Wicomico County
Friday, April 10, 2026 | 10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
Wicomico County Library – Paul S. Sarbanes Branch, STEAM Studio
122 S. Division Street, Salisbury, MD

Worcester County
Friday, April 10, 2026 | 1:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
Worcester County Public Library
13 Harrison Avenue, Berlin, MD

Kent County
Tuesday, April 14, 2026 | 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Kent County Public Library
408 High Street, Chestertown, MD

Dorchester County
Tuesday, April 14, 2026 | 1:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Dorchester County Public Library
303 Gay Street, Cambridge, MD

Town of Elkton
Wednesday, April 15, 2026 | 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Elkton Branch of the Cecil County Public Library
301 Newark Avenue, Elkton, MD

Somerset County
Tuesday, April 21, 2026 | 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Princess Anne Library
11767 Beechwood Street, Princess Anne, MD

Please click on the link as an additional resource to understand the waiting list process

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8gfvewiaIA

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