HOC’s Resident Services Department strives to enhance the lives of HOC customers by coordinating and implementing a vast array of high-quality programs, services, and resources. Through collaborative partnerships with Montgomery County, the federal government, and various community-based organizations, Resident Services is able to offer service coordination, resident programs, and supportive housing services.

All HOC customers are eligible for services offered by the Resident Services department. HOC customers include individuals and families who reside in HOC owned properties, households receiving HOC housing subsidies, and applicants on HOC’s waitlist.

Service Coordination

Eviction Prevention:  for HOC customers with active formal termination or eviction action. The goal of these services is to successfully address the violation(s) in order to prevent program termination or eviction.

Eviction Intervention: for HOC customers at-risk of termination or eviction action. The goal of these services is to successfully address the violation(s) and avoid the need for formal action.

Housing Stabilization:  for HOC customers in need of financial assistance for rent arrearages, security deposits, moving expenses, and storage.

General Support: for HOC customers who have challenges and/or barriers that negatively impact their health, well-being, and overall quality of life. The goal of these services is to successfully provide, and/or connect customers to services that will assist in eliminating these challenges and/or barriers.

Information & Referrals: for HOC customers in need of resources available through HOC as well as government and local organizations such as food, clothing, furniture, medical, transportation, mental health, and much more.

Food Distribution & Senior Nutrition: for HOC customers in need of food resources; offerings include a communal meal in a congregate setting at select senior properties as well as brown bag groceries, and meal drop offs.

Community Engagement: provides a range of activities available at HOC owned-managed properties in collaboration with residents and partners including Bingo, game nights, movie nights, holiday events, exercise classes, piano classes, musical theater performances, day/evening trips offsite and much more.

Services for Individuals with Disabilities: for customers seeking assistance with reasonable accommodations, accessibility needs, and other supports to live independently such as information, referrals, and resources.Financial Counseling: for HOC customers seeking support to manage their finances, improve their credit scores, attain checking and savings accounts, save money, and reduce debt. Services are provided via group workshops and one-on-one coaching.

Resident Programs

The Housing Opportunities Commission Academy (HOC Academy or HOCA) offers signature programming for youth/young adults, adults, and fathers  centered around enrichment, education, career, business development, health and wellness, financial literacy, and parenting.

Adult Education and Workforce Development (AEWD): connects adults to career counseling, job readiness, small business development, employment, internships, High School Equivalency, vocational training, technology skills development. Services are offered one-to-one or through group information sessions, workshops, and courses.  AEWD provides scholarships and tuition assistance to support residents in pursuing a range of educational opportunities at colleges as well as licensing and certification entities.

Youth Enrichment Services (Y.E.S):  connects youth and young adults to afterschool and summer programs through partnerships with reputable organizations. Y.E.S also offers innovative Science Technology Engineering Arts and Math (STEAM) programming throughout the year. Past STEAM opportunities have included hands-on field experiences with iFLY, NASA, Top Golf, Tesla, UMD Chemistry, and Minecraft Microsoft as well as camps including Sphero Engineering, Drone Soccer, and Audio Engineering, and Mad Science.

The Fatherhood Initiative Program (FIP): a federally-funded national initiative established in 2015 to serve fathers who receive HOC housing or are on HOC’s Housing Path Wait List. FIP encompasses a multi-week cohort series featuring workshop topics such as: 24/7 dad workshops, financial literacy, and men’s health. HOC Academy’s Fatherhood Initiative has served more than 1,200 fathers since its inception. HOC is the first and only public housing authority to receive the Fatherhood Initiative grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families.

Rent Supplement Program (RSP): a county-funded housing subsidy program serving individuals seeking to obtain housing or avoid eviction. Priority is given to elderly heads of household over the age of 62), individuals/families fleeing domestic violence, individuals/families exiting homelessness, individuals/families at imminent risk of homelessness, and/or individuals/families with a documented disability. The Rent Supplement Program provides a shallow subsidy amount between $50 and $600 depending on total household gross income and rent amount. Subsidy is awarded for 12 months with an option to renew annually.

Supportive Housing Services

McKinney Permanent Supportive Housing Programs: county and federally-funded Housing First programs for Montgomery County residents who are homeless and at least one household member has a long term disability. Program participants receive intensive case management, needs assessments, and connection to services and household supports including medical treatment, medication assistance, furniture, transportation, and child care. The Program partners with a variety of community service providers in attempts to provide a holistic approach to housing stability. The programs are funded by HUD and the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). The McKinney Programs are operated in collaboration with the Continuum of Care (CoC) and Services to End and Prevent Homelessness (SEPH) initiatives.

Community Choice Homes (CCH): a county-funded housing subsidy program serving individuals referred by the Maryland Department of Disabilities (MDOD) who are non-elderly and have a disability. The subsidy amount is the rent minus 30% of household income. Subsidy is awarded for 12 months with an option to renew annually.

Move Up Initiative (MUI): a county-funded housing subsidy program serving individuals referred by the Maryland Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) who are seeking to “move up” from programs within the County’s Homeless Continuum of Care (CoC) into broader more integrated County communities. The subsidy amount is the rent minus 30% of household income. Subsidy is awarded for 12 months with an option to renew annually.

Youth Bridge Initiative (YBI):  a county-funded housing subsidy program serving young adults referred by the Maryland Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) who are aging out of foster care as a bridge to move them towards independence. The subsidy amount is the rent minus 30% of household income. Subsidy is awarded for 24 months.

Rent Supplement Program (RSP): a county-funded housing subsidy program serving individuals seeking to obtain housing or avoid eviction. Priority is given to elderly heads of household over the age of 62), individuals/families fleeing domestic violence, individuals/families exiting homelessness, individuals/families at imminent risk of homelessness, and/or individuals/families with a documented disability. The Rent Supplement Program provides a shallow subsidy amount between $50 and $600 depending on total household gross income and rent amount. Subsidy is awarded for 12 months with an option to renew annually.

Services may take place in person or virtually. Community engagement, programming, and community events are conducted onsite at HOC owned properties. Large-scale special events are held at various locations throughout the county. Workshops and information sessions are offered virtually. Individuals seeking general assistance in-person are serviced at our customer service centers in Derwood and Silver Spring.

Resident Services offers monthly virtual workshops on the Fundamentals of Housing, County Resources, and Financial Literacy. Virtual Info Sessions are conducted to provide information about the Fatherhood Program, Tuition Assistance, Adult Education, and Workforce Development.

Resident Services publishes a monthly newsletter to inform customers and the broader community about our services, offerings, and events. To view the latest newsletter, visit our website hocmc.org.
Resident Services also publishes a Customer Resource Guide, which includes information about various resources available throughout the county such as services for youth, older adults, and individuals with disabilities.

There are several ways to register for Resident Services events and programs. You can visit our website at hocmc.org and navigate to Services and choose Event Registration from the drop-down menu. You may also register by clicking on the links in the newsletter on our website. If you reside at an HOC-owned property, you may speak with your Resident Counselor for more information.

The Resident Services department may be contacted by phone at 240-627-9400 or email at resident.services@hocmc.org. If you reside at an HOC-owned property, you may connect with your Resident Counselor onsite.