Moderately Priced Dwelling Units (MPDU)

"Annapolis Houses"

To ensure that housing choices continue to be available to city residents and employees with moderate incomes, the City Council passed the Moderately Priced Dwelling Unit Law in 2004. This law requires that 15% of the houses for sale or rent in new subdivisions of 10 or more units be moderately priced dwelling units (MPDUs). This means that the sale price or rent is below the market rate for other units in the same development.

Eligibility 

To be eligible to purchase, or rent, through the MPDU program, an individual or household must:

Have an income that is 100% or less than the median family income for the Baltimore Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA), with adjustments for household size, as reported by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD),   

* FY 2023 Gross annual income from all current sources for all wage earners in the household.

Not currently own a home and be:

• A city resident or employed within the city limits for at least the past 12 months (please refer to City Limits map); or
• A City of Annapolis employee beyond their probationary period; or
• A teacher or staff member in a school that is included in the Annapolis Senior High School district, as defined by the Anne Arundel County Public Schools, which include Annapolis Senior High School, Annapolis Middle School, Hillsmere Elementary School and Rolling Knolls Elementary School.
• A person who has been employed within the Naval Academy or the Annapolis Naval Base for at least the past 12 months.
• A resident of Anne Arundel County and has a disability as defined by the Social Security Administration. (May purchase or rent 90 days after the property becomes available.)

To be eligible for the MPDU Program, you must complete an MPDU Program application for a “Certificate of Eligibility,” which entitles the person or household to buy, or rent, an MPDU. MPDU staff will review your application and supporting documentation to determine if you meet all the qualifications. 

If you are eligible for the MPDU program, MPDU staff will mail you a Certificate of Eligibility within four weeks.  

To purchase an MPDU you should be able to qualify for a mortgage equal to the sales price of the house.  If you have sufficient assets to use for a down payment, you may qualify for a lower mortgage amount.    

When May I Apply For A Certificate? 

Applications for a Certificate of Eligibility to purchase or rent an MPDU are accepted in person, by mail or electronically. Currently the city is accepting applications on a rolling basis.  The application may be mailed or hand delivered to the MPDU Program, Planning and Zoning Department, 145 Gorman Street, 3rd floor, Annapolis MD 21401.  

Rental Program

Currently the only MPDU rental units available are at the apartment complex Bell Annapolis on West, located at 1901 West Street. These units are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, to certificate holders when units become available. The property manager at Bell Annapolis maintains a waiting list. You must have a good credit rating that is acceptable to the management, which will perform a credit check prior to your application to the apartment complex.

In July 2026, the MPDU status of Bell Annapolis rental units will expire. At that time, these units will no longer have reduced rental rates and will revert to market rate rents.