DC employee homebuyers would receive grants with five-year repayment rules

The housing department would offer eligible participants home purchase grants of up to $20,000. This help would serve eligible participants in DC’s employee home purchase program. The purchased home must be the participant’s main home. The grant would become a loan requiring repayment if the home is sold, transferred, or stops being the participant’s main home within five years after closing. Applications submitted before October 1, 2027, would instead qualify for loans of up to $20,000 with delayed repayment.

The housing department would publish a program guide, maintain an online portal, and send required notices. Applicants, their lenders and agents, and program helpers would have portal access for documents and communication. Applicants could check their application status. Immediate notices would cover rule changes and funds running out before the end of the fiscal year in which an applicant received an eligibility notice. The department would update the guide each year.

The housing department would hold information sessions and report program results to the Mayor and Council. Sessions would serve interested first responders and educators. Reports would cover recipients, home purchases, loan repayments, and applicants who received no funding. The department would coordinate sessions with public safety and education agencies. Reports would be due April 1 each year, with funding and repayment activity reported for the prior fiscal year.