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Home Purchase Assistance Program

The Home Purchase Assistance program provides interest-free loans and closing cost assistance to qualified applicants, which provides the applicant with the opportunity to purchase houses, condominiums, or cooperative units. The loan amount is based on a combination of factors, including income, household size, and the amount of assets that each applicant must commit towards a property’s purchase. Loans provided are subordinate to private first trust mortgages. Eligible applicants can receive a maximum of $40,000 in gap financing assistance and an additional $4,000 in closing costs assistance. The HPAP 0% interest loan is deferred for the first five-years, and amortized over 40 years.

About HPAP

The Home Purchase Assistance program provides interest-free loans to qualified applicants, which provides them the opportunity to purchase houses, condominiums, or cooperative units. Applicants who are accepted into the program are eligible for financial assistance to (1) bridge the gap between the 1st trust loan and the purchase price and (2) closing cost needs. The loan amounts are based on a combination of factors, including income, household size, and the amount of assets that each applicant must contribute towards the property’s purchase price. Loans provided are subordinate to a private first trust mortgages. The maximum first trust loan amount cannot exceed $417,000, the conventional conforming loan limit.

Eligibility

To be eligible for HPAP assistance, you must meet the following criteria:

  1. Be the head of the household and a first-time homebuyer.
  2. Be a low-to-moderate income resident, based on the Department’s standards.
  3. Cannot have had ownership interest in any residential real estate within the three years prior to application.
  4. The purchased home must be the borrower’s primary residence and must be located within the District of Columbia.
  5. Possess a good credit rating.
  6. Applications are prioritized based on the following:
    a. low-income, elderly, handicapped, disabled or displaced District residents
    b. other District residents
    c. non-residents who have been employed in the District for one year prior to application
    d. non-residents who have lived in the District for three years as an adult

Please note: District residents will always be the priority for HPAP assistance. Non-resident applications will be accepted, but only processed for eligibility at times when there are no pending applications from District residents.

Assistance Levels

The total amount of financial assistance for down payment provided to very low-, low-, and moderate-income eligible households shall not exceed $40,000 based upon household size, household income, need, and the availability of funds. Closing cost assistance is provided separately and will be no more than $4,000.

Applicant Contribution

HPAP recipients contribute $500 or 50% of liquid assets greater than $3,000, whichever is greater. For very low- and low-income applicants, the contribution in excess of five hundred dollars ($500) may be waived by the Director where there is demonstrated need and the applicant is elderly, handicapped, disabled, or displaced.

Loan Repayment

Payment on loans made to any income-eligible household under this program are deferred for the first five years. Monthly principal-only payments begin at the start of the sixth year of the loan and will be amortized for 40 years. The entire amount of the loan is immediately due and payable if the borrower transfers the property, the property is refinanced (unless the refinance meets certain conditions), or the property ceases to be the borrower’s primary place of residence.

How to Apply

To apply for HPAP assistance, please contact one of the following organizations:

Housing Counseling Services
2410 17th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 667-7006

Latino Economic Development Corporation
2316 18th Street NW.
Washington, DC 20009
(202) 588-5102

Lydia’s House
3939 South Capitol Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20032
(202) 373-1050

University Legal Services - DHCD Housing Resource Center
1800 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., SE, 1st Floor
Washington, DC 20020
(202) 889-2196

University Legal Services
220 I Street, NE, Suite 130
Washington, DC 20002
(202) 547-4747

University Legal Services - Far NE
Lloyd E. Smith Center
3939 Benning Road, NE
Washington, DC 20019
(202) 396-1201

Program Process

Interested applicants must contact one of the Community Based Organizations (CBO) listed to make an appointment to complete an application. The CBO will forward the completed application to the Greater Washington Urban League, Inc. (GWUL), who processes the applications on behalf of the District. GWUL will review the application and determine eligibility and issue to the applicant a Notice of Eligibility (NOE) if they are eligible. The NOE will outline the maximum amount of assistance available and the steps to follow that will lead you to homeownership.

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