MPDU Rentals

1. Income

   Your household income, before taxes (gross household income), must be between the minimum and maximum amounts allowed:

   New MPDU Tenants:

   • Minimum annual household income: This varies from property to property. Please call the property directly.
   • Maximum annual household income: This is based on household size and type of development. Maximum income for a garden apartment is set at 65% AMI (Area Median Income); maximum income for a high-rise apartment is set at 70% AMI. See the table below.

   Renewing MPDU Tenants:

   • When renewing a lease, the maximum annual household income is 130% of the amount for new tenants.

     MPDU Income Eligibility Table (effective April 5, 2024)

     Household Size	Garden Apartments		High Rise Apartments (5 stories or more)
     	New Tenants	Renewing Tenants	New Tenants	Renewing Tenants
     	Maximum Household Income*	130% of Maximum Household Income**	Maximum Household Income*	130% of Maximum Household Income**
     1	$70,500	$91,650	$76,000	$98,800
     2	$80,500	$104,650	$86,500	$112,450
     3	$90,500	$117,650	$97,500	$126,750
     4	$100,500	$130,650	$108,500	$141,050
     5	$108,500	$141,050	$117,000	$152,100
     6	$116,500	$151,450	$125,500	$163,150

     * Gross annual income from all current sources for all wage earners in the household
     ** For existing, previously income qualified tenants whose incomes have increased 

2. Number of Bedrooms

   The number of people in your household determines what type of apartment (number of bedrooms) you are eligible to rent. See the chart, below:

   MPDU Income Eligibility Table

   For Rental MPDUs
   Number of Persons in Household	Eligible Number of Bedroom(s)
   1	1
   2	1 or 2
   3	2 or 3
   4	2 or 3
   5	3 or above

3. Credit History

   Your credit rating must be acceptable to the apartment community management.

4. Rent Payment

   Your income must be sufficient to meet monthly rent payments for the MPDU rental property, according to the apartment community management. Unemployed participants will not qualify for a rental property unless they have other means of support such as child support, an HOC voucher, retirement benefits, interest from assets, etc. The MPDU program does not provide rental subsidies, but other forms of rental assistance offered by the Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC) or the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) may be used to help pay the MPDU rent. Only one subsidy may be used.

5. No Residential Property Ownership

   You, and the other members of your household, have not owned any residential property during the previous five (5) years and have never owned an MPDU.

6. MPDU Occupancy

   Your rented MPDU unit must be your primary residence and you must not sublet the MPDU. 

• Rent: MPDU rents are set by Executive Regulation and recalculated annually. Lease agreements are negotiated between MPDU participants and the private landlord or property manager.
• Rent Increases: MPDU rent can be increased only once during a 12-month period and the increase cannot be more than the amount of the Voluntary Rent Guideline issued by the County Executive.
• Application Fee: An apartment community reviewing an application from an MPDU applicant can charge an application fee as well as a security deposit. The Application Fee should be $25; if the community charges more than that and the applicant does not move in, the amount greater than $25 must be returned to the applicant.
• Amenities Fee: An apartment community cannot charge an MPDU tenant an “amenities fee” for the use of facilities offered.
• Sources of Income: An MPDU applicant is permitted to use a gift from a family member to cover the security deposit. Further, an applicant with a Housing Choice Voucher may use it with their MPDU rental.
• Parking Fees: An apartment community cannot charge an MPDU tenant parking fees for non-structured (surface) parking unless market rate tenants are also charged for it. Structured parking, garage or other enclosed spaces may be offered as an option to the MPDU tenants at the monthly rate normally charged by the development. 
• Other Fees: An apartment community can charge the monthly rate normally charged by the landlord for storage and pet fees, if applicable.

The MPDU office does not provide applications, does not accept applications, and does not issue Certificates of Eligibility for MPDU rentals.

Persons interested in the MPDU rental program must apply directly to the MPDU apartment community of their choice. The management company at each apartment community will provide an application form, verify income and credit history, and determine your eligibility or non-eligibility to rent an MPDU apartment.

Steps to apply to rent an MPDU:

1. Review the list of apartment communities with MPDU units.
2. Identify apartment community properties that interest you.
3. Contact one or more apartment communities to apply for an MPDU unit

To receive announcements regarding MPDU rental opportunities, create an eSubscription account. Go to: " Create an eSubscription" and select "DHCA" to receive announcements by email or text message; like our Facebook page, and follow DHCA on Twitter. Recent announcements of available units can be found at this page:  https://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgportalapps/Announcement_List.aspx?id=38

There are additional ways to look for an apartment, house or room to rent. For example, you can look online, talk with friends and acquaintances, and visit apartment communities directly.

Important: If you are at imminent threat of losing your housing (eviction judgment received) please reach out to Montgomery County Housing Stabilization Services by calling 311 (240-777-0311) to explore options to assist with eviction prevention or relocation assistance.

• The Montgomery County Housing Opportunities Commission (HOC) has a limited amount of rental assistance available.

  Find information online: Housing Opportunities Commission or call: (240) 627-9400.

• Rental Marketplace

  You can view rental property information the County collects annually from apartment building managers. Visit Rental Marketplace to search and view information about location, property-level rent levels and unit sizes. You can search for options within a range of rents, geography and type (e.g., senior housing, income-restricted, number of bedrooms). Some apartment buildings in Montgomery County include units that are priced affordably based on a resident’s income (these include MPDUs as well as other types of affordable units). Units priced affordably are intended for residents with incomes up to 30%, 50% or 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI), which is based on family size and adjusted annually. Tenants can contact individual rental properties to learn about current availability of units and rents.

The DHCA Office of Landlord-Tenant Affairs mediates disputes between landlords and tenants. The Office answers questions from the public regarding landlord-tenant issues; investigates and resolves formal complaints from tenants and landlords; and, when a resolution is not forthcoming, refers the complaints to the Commission on Landlord-Tenant Affairs (COLTA) for adjudication.

Complaints

Landlords or tenants may file complaints with the Office of Landlord-Tenant Affairs. Please note that in matters related to security deposit, rent increase, failure to pay rent, notice to vacate, etc.; even if you live in a MPDU rental unit, your complaint falls into the authority of the Office of Landlord-Tenant Affairs (OLTA) to investigate and not the MPDU Office.  To file a complaint:

The Office will send an acknowledgment letter upon receipt, giving the case number and the name of the Landlord-Tenant Affairs Investigator assigned to the case.

The Complaint Process step by step is available here.

 

Management companies are required to recertify annual income and household size for renewing MPDU Tenants. As a tenant, you will receive an income recertification 90 days before the lease expires. You must return MPDU recertification to the Landlord within the time specified on the recertification. Then the management company will forward all compliance documentation to the MPDU Office.

Property managers of rental buildings with Moderately Priced Dwelling Units (MPDUs), Workforce Housing Units (WFHUs), and Productivity Housing Units (PHUs) are required to recertify incomes and households annually. Notification for recertification needs to be sent to tenants 90 days before the lease expires. 

Copies of all Renter's Agreements must be submitted to the Department of Housing Community Affairs (DHCA) with a letter stating the percentage increase in rent. Submit by email to [email protected].