Baltimore renters who have lived in the city for at least a year in one of more than 120 neighborhoods can access a grant up to $20,000 to purchase a home in any of those same neighborhoods, thanks to an expanded program from Live Baltimore.

The city’s marketing arm, which operates as a nonprofit organization, said in a Wednesday news release that as many as 100 residents could tap into the funding as long as they purchase homes in “grant-eligible” areas. That includes much of East and West Baltimore, as well as neighborhoods south of the Hanover Street Bridge.

The funding pot amounts to more than $1 million, according to the organization, made possible with American Rescue Plan Act funding that the city received in the first years of COVID-19 pandemic.

The “Buy Back the Block” initiative, which got funded in early 2023, aims to lower the up-front costs homebuyers may need to purchase housing, such as down payments. To access the grants, applicants must first take an eligibility quiz and agree to work with a Live Baltimore-approved mortgage lender. They also must have at least $1,000 on hand to put toward a new home and enroll in homeownership counseling with an approved agency.

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Two grants are offered: up to $10,000 to purchase a home or up to $20,000 to purchase and renovate a home.

Julie French, Live Baltimore’s interim executive director, said the additional neighborhoods — up from 15 — included in “Buy Back the Block” meet federal guidelines for mixed-income housing.

She added that homebuyers are able to choose which eligible neighborhood they want to live in and can also access the funding if they’re in the purchasing pipeline already. There are a range of other incentives available to Baltimore homebuyers — including for first-time property owners and for city government employees — that can be grouped together to significantly offset the purchase.

“We want to help people with that last, extra push,” French said. She called 2024 a relatively slower year in Baltimore home buying that she expects will become more lively as mortgage interest rates cool.

Grants will be made available on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications are being accepted now.