WHAT AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROGRAMS

AND INITIATIVES DOES THE DISTRICT OFFER?

DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT:

• Inclusionary Zoning Aordable Housing Program (IZ) sets aside a percentage of aordable rental or for-sale units in new

residenal development projects of 10 or more units as well as rehabilitaon projects that are expanding an exisng building

by 50 percent or more. Households interested in purchasing or leasing an IZ home must take the IZ orientaon class with one

of DHCD partner community-based organizaons and complete the online registraon form.

For more informaon, please visit the following link:

www.dhcd.dc.gov/service/inclusionary-zoning-aordable-housing-program

- nancing for site acquision to provide locaons to build aordable housing;

- funding for the rehabilitaon of single family homes.

Since 2001, the HPTF has helped produce over 9,000 aordable homes for low income District residents.

For more informaon, please visit the following link:

hps://dhcd.dc.gov/page/housing-producon-trust-fund

• The Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP) provides interest-free loans and closing cost assistance to qualied

applicants to purchase single-family houses, condominiums, or cooperave units. HPAP also provides up to $84,000 in down

payment and closing assistance to eligible rst-me home buyers.

For more informaon, please visit the following link:

(RAD) at the DC Department of Housing and Community Development either as subject to rent control or as exempt from

rent control. For any unit that is not registered with RAD, rent control automacally applies.

For more informaon, please visit the following link:

hps://dhcd.dc.gov/service/rent-control

DC HOUSING AUTHORITY:

• The District Of Columbia Local Rent Subsidy Program (LRSP) provides ongoing rental subsidies to help make housing more

aordable to extremely low-income families – those with incomes equal to or below thirty percent of area median income.

Administered by the District of Columbia Housing Authority, LRSP is designed so that households contribute thirty percent

(30%) of their adjusted annual income toward the cost for housing. LRSP provides a monthly rental subsidy that covers the

dierence between the rent a family can aord to pay, and the cost of renng the unit within the District.

locaon, they may apply to take their voucher with them to a new home, even out of state. The program includes rental

assistance only.

For more informaon, please visit the following link:

hps://www.dchousing.org/topic.aspx?topid=2

• Project-Based Vouchers are subsidy payments made by DCHA to specically designated units through a long term contract

with the owner/landlord at numerous apartment communies throughout DC. The subsidy is ed to the unit and if a

parcipant wants to move the subsidy does not move with them. The program includes rental assistance only.

For more informaon, please visit the following link:

hps://www.dchousing.org/topic.aspx?topid=2&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

WHAT SUPPORT DOES THE DISTRICT OFFER RESIDENTS

caseworker who makes connecons to resources such as behavioral health supports, substance abuse treatment,

employment services, and nancial literacy. To apply for the PSH program a vulnerability assessment survey must be

completed at any District sponsored shelter facility or by a homeless service provider.

For more informaon, please visit the following link:

hps://dhs.dc.gov/service/soluons-ending-homelessness

• The Targeted Aordable Housing (TAH) Program provides a permanent rental subsidy for families exing homelessness.

TAH is intended for households who need assistance obtaining and aording housing – most likely due to advanced age

and/or disability – but are connected to community resources. TAH program parcipants do not require intensive case

management from DHS in order to remain stably housed.

For more informaon, please visit the following link:

readiness training, behavioral health services, and nancial literacy.

For more informaon, please visit:

hps://dhs.dc.gov/service/soluons-ending-homelessness

• The Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) provides one-me funding for income-eligible District residents facing

housing emergencies caused by rental arrears. This program also supports security deposits and the rst months’ rent for

residents moving to new apartments.

For more informaon, please visit the following link:

hps://dhs.dc.gov/service/emergency-rental-assistance-program

• The Homelessness Prevenon Program (HPP) provides stabilizing services and resources for District families at imminent risk

of homelessness aimed at prevenng housing loss. Services oered may include diversion and mediaon services, case

as it focuses on client strengths. Available resources can be used to provide individuals with services that allow them to

either maintain their current housing or secure suitable housing through friends and family. Overall, Project Reconnect seeks

to reduce reliance on emergency shelters and focuses on early intervenon by aiding individuals in crisis with the proper

support before he/she experiences homelessness.

For more informaon, please visit the following link:

hps://dhs.dc.gov/page/project-reconnect

DEPARTMENT OF BEHAVIORAL HEALTH:

• The Home First Rental Assistance Program provides a permanent subsidy for individuals diagnosed with a severe mental

illness. This voucher is a component of wraparound services provided to individuals with mental illness who have

experienced homelessness.

maintain that housing. It is based on overwhelming evidence that people experiencing homelessness can achieve stability in

permanent housing when provided with the appropriate level of services. Housing First is a recommended approach by the U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. All programs run by DHS

adhere to a Housing First approach.

For more informaon, please visit the following link:

hps://www.usich.gov/soluons/housing/housing-rst/

• Protecng the privacy of tenants: The District of Columbia is commied to protecng the privacy of residents. It is at the

tenant’s discreon to share details of their lease, including their source of income or rent levels. For individuals receiving

assistance from District programs, local and federal privacy consideraons apply. The Homeless Services Reform Act of 2005

requires that a client’s “personal, social, legal, nancial, educaonal, and medical records and informaon related to a client

For more informaon, please visit the following link:

hps://code.dccouncil.us/dc/council/code/secons/4-754.11.html

WHOM CAN I CALL…?

• If you experience concerns for your personal safety or the safety of others, tenants should call 911.

• If you experience lease violaons or non-emergencies such as noise, pets, smoking OR concerns with unit occupancy,

tenants should call their property manager.

• If you have quesons or concerns about your rights and responsibilies as a tenant, tenants should call the Oce of Tenant

Advocate at (202) 719-6560 or DHCD’s Rental Accommodaons Division at (202) 442-9505.

• If you need assistance with community engagement, tenants may explore services with Community Mediaon DC at

(240)-766-5311. hps://communitymediaondc.org

basic rights of tenancy in the District, as there are addional rights provided to this populaon.

For more informaon, please visit the following link: hps://ota.dc.gov/publicaon/elderly-and-senior-tenant-bill-rights

• The Guide to Evicon provides informaon on the required judicial process for all evicons in the District.

For more informaon, please visit the following link: hps://ota.dc.gov/page/guide-evicon

Legal Aid Society of the District of Columbia

1331 H Street, NW, Suite 350 Washington, DC 20005

2041 Marn Luther King Jr. Avenue, SE, Suite 201

Washington, DC 20020

Phone: (202) 628-1161