The Southern Maryland Tri-County Community Action Committee, Inc. (SMTCCAC)

The Southern Maryland Tri-County Community Action Committee, Inc. (SMTCCAC), organized in 1965, serves three counties in southern Maryland, a rural but developing area that lies between the Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River. Although a growth area, affordable housing has become increasingly scarce. The average cost of housing is lower than in the Washington metropolitan area, attracting newcomers who commute to jobs outside the region. Although defense technology is a growing industry in the area, the jobs that have been created are mostly high-salary jobs. As a result of this growth, affordable rental and homeownership opportunities are hard to find for many longtime, low-income area residents who work in the retail and service industries.

SMTCCAC's housing programs consist of four major components: homeownership, rental management, community development, and housing preservation. The homeownership program combines Self-Help Housing, the USDA's rural development program, and HUD's community services program. Self-Help funds are used to provide subsidized mortgages to low-income families that perform most of the labor needed to build their homes. The community services program makes use of educational and mutual support to prepare potential homebuyers to qualify for mortgages. Working in conjunction with local housing development corporations, this program secures grants and loans and packages mortgage applications to provide affordable single-family housing. SMTCCAC also works with sister agencies to provide counseling services to homeless families. SMTCCAC's community development activities include identifying opportunities for affordable housing development, conducting feasibility studies, and obtaining financial commitments. Its housing preservation program provides weatherization and home repair services to low-income homeowners.

The mission of this organization is to provide services for eligible citizens that alleviate the causes and conditions of poverty, promote upward mobility, and enrich the quality of life.

To date 648 have units been created throughout the three-county service area. SMTCCAC also manages 121 rental units it developed in five local communities. In addition, more than 750 rehabilitation projects have been completed.