Moderately Priced Dwelling Unit Homeownership Program

To provide access to affordable homes, the City of Rockville requires some for-sale properties to be available to Rockville residents at more affordable prices than for-sale market-rate homes. Homebuyers must meet the eligibility requirements and follow program procedures in maintaining ownership.

Eligibility

The following eligibility criteria must be satisfied to qualify for the purchase of a home through the MPDU program:

• The buyer must be a first-time homebuyer and qualify for a minimum mortgage of $150,000.
• The home must be the owner’s primary residence for the full length of the 30-year MPDU period and may not be rented to others.
• The buyer must qualify for bank financing.
• The buyer must commit to own the home for a period of 30 years. If the buyer decides to sell before that time, the sale must follow the city’s guidelines for reselling an MPDU home.
• All household members over 18 years old must submit their proof of income.

The following maximum household income limits are based on gross household income per year and are dependent on home pricing. The household income must be within these limits at the time a sales agreement contract is signed for the purchase of an MPDU home.

How to Apply

Waiting List

If you meet eligibility requirements, an MPDU certificate will be sent by email three to four weeks after the application is received by the City of Rockville. The household is then placed on the city’s MPDU waiting list. When MPDUs become available to purchase, the seller to developer will contact households on the waiting list to see if they are interested in buying the property. Priority is given to households with members who:

• Currently live or work in the City of Rockville.
• Have a household member older than 55.
• Have a larger household size.

If an eligible person on the waiting list is not interested in the available home, they can decline to purchase the home. Their name remains on the waiting list, which is given to future builders or sellers of for-sale MPDU homes. If an eligible person chooses not to purchase a home when offered, there is no guarantee that another home will become available. A name is only removed from the waiting list when the eligible person purchases a home or requests their name be removed.

Selling or Refinancing a Home

If you are a current homeowner in the MPDU program looking to sell or refinance your home, you must submit an MPDU Resale/Refinance Request Form by uploading a Resale/Refinance Request Application.

The owner must provide the city with an itemized list of all improvements for which credit may be requested as part of the resale price. All improvements must be documented with receipts. The owner must permit the city to inspect the MPDU home as part of the resale price determination process. Review the home improvement guidelines.

Once a resale price is determined, the owner is notified and the MPDU home will then be offered exclusively to Rockville Housing Enterprises (RHE), which is the designated housing agency for the city’s MPDU program. RHE has a 45-day period in which to decide whether or not they will purchase the MPDU home. If RHE does not wish to purchase the home, it will be offered to eligible people on the MPDU waiting list for 60 days. A resale request grants permission for the city to inform those on the waiting list of the availability to purchase the MPDU home.

If the owner does not agree with the resale price determination, they have 14 calendar days to request reconsideration. Any such request must cite the basis for the request and include supporting documentation.