Assistance program · the District of Columbia
Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP)
District of Columbia interest-free loan of up to $202,000 plus up to $4,000 for closing costs, for very low- to moderate-income first-time buyers; the amount depends on your income, your household and your savings, and District residents get priority
At a glance
- Most it gives, per the source
- Up to $202,000
- What its page says; your amount depends on the price and the loan.
- Kind of help
- Deferred · Repayable
- Second loan with no payments until you sell or refinance
- First-time buyer?
- Yes
- First-time buyers only
- 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
- Second loan with monthly payments
What it gives
Up to $202,000
Source text
The Home Purchase Assistance (HPAP) program provides interest-free loans and closing cost assistance to qualified applicants to purchase single family houses, condominiums, or cooperative units in the District. The loan amount is based on a combination of factors, including income, household size, and the amount of assets that each applicant must commit toward a property’s purchase. … Eligible applicants can receive a maximum of $202,000 in gap financing assistance and an additional $4,000 in closing cost assistance. The HPAP loan for borrowers with incomes below 80 percent of the area median income (AMI) is deferred until the property is sold, refinanced to take out equity, or is no longer their primary residence. Moderate-income borrowers who earn between 80 percent and 110 percent MFI will have payments deferred for five years with a 40 year principal-only repayment period. 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
Be the head of the household and a first-time homebuyer. … Cannot have had ownership interest in any residential real estate within the three years prior to application. … The purchased home must be the borrower’s primary residence and must be located within the District of Columbia. … District residents always are the priority for HPAP assistance. We will accept applications from non-residents, but they only will be processed when there are no pending applications from District residents … This dashboard will share the amount of Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP) funds that are available for Fiscal Year 2027 which begins on October 1, 2026. Applicants will be assisted on a first-come, first-serve basis. - First-time buyers only Yes
- Homebuyer course required Not stated — ask
- Minimum credit score Not stated — ask
- Income limit Per the program table (by county and household size)
- Price limit Per the program table
- Mortgages it works with Not stated — ask
- Immigration requirement Not stated — ask
- Accepts ITIN? Not stated — ask
- Spanish materials Not stated — ask
- 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 sets its income limit in its own table. 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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Confirm you count as a first-time buyer
The program requires it. Read on its page how it defines "first-time buyer" and whether there are exceptions.
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Find your county in the income table
The limit changes with the county and the number of people in your household. Count the income of everyone the program asks you to add.
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Apply with DC Department of Housing and Community Development. Its page explains whether you apply directly or through a participating lender.
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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 8 points unclear. Write them down for when you talk to DC Department of Housing and Community Development.
What its page does not say
- Is it open now, and does it still have funds?
- Do you require a homebuyer course? Which ones do you accept, and what do they cost?
- Is there a maximum price for the home?
- What minimum credit score do you require?
- 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?
- Do you have materials or staff in Spanish?
Worth asking for this kind of help
- When is the second loan repaid: when I sell, refinance or pay off the mortgage?
- What rate and monthly payment does the second loan have?
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 requires being a first-time buyer. It is the only one that publishes an amount with the figure in its own wording. One other program in the state also gives "deferred" help: DC Open Doors.
Swipe the table to see every column.
| Program | Kind of help | Published amount | First-time buyers only | Course required | Accepts ITIN | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP)this program | Deferred · Repayable | Up to $202,000 | Yes | Doesn't say | Doesn't say | Statewide |
| DC Open Doors | Deferred | Not published | No | 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.