Assistance program · the District of Columbia
DC Open Doors
District of Columbia housing agency program: a mortgage with a deferred 0% loan with no monthly payments that covers the entire minimum down payment, for first-time and repeat buyers of a home in the District
At a glance
- Kind of help
- Deferred
- Second loan with no payments until you sell or refinance
- First-time buyer?
- No
- No first-time requirement
- Minimum credit score
- 640
- The minimum the source asks for; a lender may ask for more.
- Checked
- November 5, 2026
- Against the program's official page.
Type of help
What it is
- Second loan with no payments until you sell or refinance
What it gives
Source text
the full amount of your required minimum down payment … deferred 0% non-amortizing (no monthly payments) loan … thirty (30) years from the date of loan closing … sale or any transfer (by gift or otherwise) of the property A summary of what the program publishes; not a loan offer or advice. Amounts, limits and funding change without notice.
At a glance
Who qualifies
Each answer comes from the program's page. "Not stated — ask" means its page doesn't make it clear: ask before you apply.
Source text
Open to both first-time and repeat homebuyers … Minimum credit score of 640 … Maximum income of $275, 400 … Income is based on BORROWER's income ONLY (not household) … Maximum debt-to-income (DTI) ratio of 50% … first trust mortgages for the purchase of a home in the District of Columbia - First-time buyers only No
- Homebuyer course required Not stated — ask
- Minimum credit score 640
- Income limit A flat cap; see the source
- Price limit Per the program table
- Mortgages it works with Not stated — ask
- Immigration requirement The source does not mention one — ask
- Accepts ITIN? Not stated — ask
- Spanish materials Yes
- Program status The source does not say whether it is open — ask
- Where it applies All of the District of Columbia
What its page says about being open
Its page does not say whether the program is open or has funds. Ask the lender or the agency before counting on it. Read on the official page on November 5, 2026.
Your area in numbers
What buying costs in the District of Columbia
These are the official figures for the area the program covers. Use them to compare the price of the home you want and your household income with the program's limits.
The typical home value ($737,100) fits within the District of Columbia's FHA limit ($1,249,125).
The program publishes an income cap of $275,400 for the borrower. For reference, HUD's low-income limit for 4 people in the District of Columbia is $106,800.
| Figure | District of Columbia | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $737,100 | U.S. Census Bureau |
| FHA limit (one-unit home) | $1,249,125 | HUD |
| Conforming limit (one-unit home) | $1,249,125 | FHFA |
| HUD low income (80%), household of 4 | $106,800 | HUD |
Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024) · FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data) · Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data) · Income Limits (HUD) (Fiscal year 2026)
Step by step
How to use it, step by step
Each step comes from what the program's page says. What its page leaves out is further down, in the questions.
Find a participating lender-
Ask first whether it is open
Its page does not say whether it is open or still has funds. That is the first thing to ask.
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Your income cannot go above $275,400
According to its page, the cap counts only the borrower's income.
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Check your score: the published minimum is 640
That is the program's minimum; the lender may ask for more. If you are short, a housing counselor can explain how to raise it.
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Find a participating lender: state programs do not take applications directly; the lender reserves the assistance while processing your mortgage.
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Compare the total cost before you sign
Ask about the total cost. The mortgage with assistance may carry a higher rate than without it, and some programs charge for the course or a fee.
Before you call
What to ask
Its page leaves 7 points unclear. Write them down for when you talk to DC Housing Finance Agency.
What its page does not say
- Is it open now, and does it still have funds?
- What is the most it gives, and how is it calculated?
- Do you require a homebuyer course? Which ones do you accept, and what do they cost?
- Is there a maximum price for the home?
- Which mortgage types does it work with: FHA, VA, USDA or conventional?
- Which immigration status or residency documents do you ask for?
- Do you accept an ITIN?
Worth asking for this kind of help
- When is the second loan repaid: when I sell, refinance or pay off the mortgage?
Against the others
How it compares with the District of Columbia's other programs
The 2 programs we checked in the District of Columbia, with the same fields from their official pages. "Doesn't say" means its page does not make it clear.
It is the only one of the District of Columbia's 2 programs that says you do not need to be a first-time buyer. Its page publishes no amount with a figure; one of the 2 does. One other program in the state also gives "deferred" help: Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP).
Swipe the table to see every column.
| Program | Kind of help | Published amount | First-time buyers only | Course required | Accepts ITIN | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DC Open Doorsthis program | Deferred | Not published | No | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | Statewide |
| Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP) | Deferred · Repayable | Up to $202,000 | Yes | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | Statewide |
Sources
How we checked this program
We read the program's official pages on November 5, 2026 and copied their text as it appears on them. We add no amounts or requirements those pages do not state, and a program is listed as open or closed only when its page says so.
We check every program again. If more than 180 days pass without a check, the page says so.
Get free help applying
A HUD-approved housing counselor explains the program's requirements, goes over your numbers and tells you what to ask the lender. They do not sell loans.
Find a counselor (HUD)Read before you apply
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Help and programs
Down payment assistance: how it works
What down payment assistance is, the types that exist (grant, forgivable or deferred second loan, tax credit), who qualifies and where to find it.
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Help and programs
HUD housing counselors: what they do and what they cost
What a HUD-approved housing counselor does, what they help with (buying, renting, missed payments, credit), what they may charge and how to find one.
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Help and programs
Public charge and housing: what the rules say
Public charge: which housing help DHS may consider, who is exempt, how HUD prorates assistance for mixed-status families and where to get free advice.
Your county
Price and income limits depend on the county. Your county page has the typical value, the FHA limit and the counseling agencies that can walk you through the application.