Down payment and closing cost assistance under the Employer Assisted Housing Program (EAHP) is available to full-time District government employees in good standing with at least one year of service. The service requirement is waived for police officers, corrections officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, paramedics and teachers in a public or public charter school. Good standing means no adverse action by the District government employer in the past three years.
The EAHP borrower has to be a first-time home buyer in the District, which is defined as having no ownership in a principal residence, in the District, in the past three years. The purchased property must become the employee’s principal residence, but the purchaser can own property in another jurisdiction.
The First-Responder grant requires employment, or acceptance of an offer of employment, with the District of Columbia as a police officer, fire fighter, paramedic, emergency medical technician, or corrections officer.
All employees eligible for the First-Responder grant are also eligible for the standard $20,000 EAHP loan. Furthermore, District government employees also can qualify for the Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP), combining the assistance.
How to Apply
To apply for home purchase assistance, contact one of the DHCD-funded Community-Based Organizations (CBOs). Though the CBO, applicants will:
• Attend an orientation session.
• Schedule an appointment to complete the application.
• Attend an eight-hour training on home buying and homeownership.
Program Process
After an applicant completes the application, the CBO will forward it to the HPAP Administrator, either the Greater Washington Urban League (GWUL) or the DC Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA), which will review the application, determine eligibility, and issue an eligible applicant a Notice of Eligibility (NOE). (Note: Applicants for the First-Responder grant also must provide evidence of eligibility by employment verification and execute a five-year service agreement before settlement for the additional grant assistance.) The NOE will outline the maximum amount of assistance available and the next steps to follow. The NOE does not guarantee or reserve funds—that happens when a ratified sales contract is delivered.
Areas of Interest:
- EAHP Fact Sheet
- EAHP Enhancements Five Things to Know (MPD version)
- DHCD HPAP Income Assistance Table
- Homebuyer Fact Sheet [English] [En Espanol]
- DCHousingSearch.org