Sponsored by the Baltimore Partnership Office of Fannie Mae and the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), the workshop was opened by DHCD's Community Development Administration Assistant Secretary Harry Sewell, who pledging his support to help make homeownership for Section 8 tenants a reality in Maryland. HUD's Maryland State Coordinator Harold Young underscored both the value of the workshop and Section 8 Homeownership by telling the group that it is "…an exciting and appealing program that can put families into homes that fulfill dreams and make participating in the nation's economy a reality."

 At least four Maryland housing agencies decided to start a Section 8 Homeownership program after a recent one-day workshop produced by HUD's Maryland State office.
The Section 8 Homeownership Workshop was held at DHCD's Family Resource Center in Crownsville, Md. Five panels were presented during the day, including 1) the Rules of the Program, 2) Designing the Program, 3) Preparing the Family, 4) Partnering with Financial Institutions and 5) Locating Affordable Housing Resources.

Bill Tamburrino, Public Housing HUB Director and Dana Johnson, Public Housing Public Trust Officer presented the session on Section 8 Homeownership Rules. The Program Design session was hosted by Carol Weber and given by Daryl Dalton of the Danville, Virginia Redevelopment and Housing Authority. Dalton has started a program and already has helped three Section 8 tenants buy their own homes. Karen Blanford, City of Westminster Office of Housing, Community Development and Personnel also gave her agency's planned program design.

Preparing The Family For Homeownership, moderated by Maryland HUD's Carol Payne, heard from representatives from housing authorities in Montgomery and St. Mary's counties, the Maryland Center for Community Development and Interfaith Housing of Western Maryland, who recounted their experiences with family preparation. The Financial Institutions Partnership session included presentations by First Horizon Home Loan Corporation, Fannie Mae, the Baltimore Office of Neighborhood Reinvestment and the Community Development Finance Corporation.

The Affordable Housing Resources panel was hosted by James Kelly of the Maryland HUD office, and included representatives from Saint Ambrose Housing Aid Center (a HUD grantee), the Housing Authority of Baltimore City, Neighborhood Housing Services and HUD's own Home Ownership Center. Bill Tamburrino closed the session with a wrap-up announcing next steps. Candace Simms, Director of the Maryland/West Virginia Public Housing Division was the event's emcee.