DC first-time buyer programs
Washington runs some of the most generous buyer-assistance programs in the country, and most eligible buyers never use them. The headline: HPAP lends qualifying first-time DC buyers up to $202,000 toward the down payment — interest-free — plus $4,000 toward closing costs. Around it sit EAHP and DC4ME for DC-government employees, DC Open Doors down-payment loans (no first-time requirement), a reduced 0.725% recordation rate, and a 5-year property-tax abatement. Here's each one, current for 2026, with the official sources.
The big one: HPAP
The Home Purchase Assistance Program (DC Dept. of Housing and Community Development) provides up to $202,000 in down-payment help plus $4,000 toward closing costs as an interest-free loan — deferred, with repayment terms set by income tier (DHCD — HPAP). It's for first-time DC buyers who will live in the home, with eligibility and assistance amounts tied to household income and size under the program's tables. The assistance is real money at the settlement table — for many buyers it's the difference between renting another five years and owning now. Demand is high and funding runs in cycles, so starting the application early matters.
For DC-government employees: EAHP & DC4ME
The Employer-Assisted Housing Program gives eligible District government employees a $20,000 deferred loan plus a $5,000 matching grant — and first responders and educators can qualify for an additional $10,000 forgivable loan, with the matching grant rising to $15,000 in place of the standard $5,000 (DHCD — EAHP). DC4ME (DC Housing Finance Agency) adds a reduced-rate first mortgage with optional down-payment help for DC-government employees (DCHFA — DC4ME). EAHP is officially combinable with HPAP — public servants can stack meaningful help.
DC Open Doors — no first-time requirement
DC Open Doors (DCHFA) pairs a first mortgage with a down-payment assistance loan of 3–3.5% (the exact basis depends on the loan type), and — unusually — does not require you to be a first-time buyer. Eligibility runs on the borrower's income (not household), capped at $275,400 (DCHFA — DC Open Doors). For buyers who out-earn HPAP's tables or already owned a home once, this is usually the door still open.
At the settlement table: the tax-side programs
| Program | What it does | 2026 caps |
|---|---|---|
| Reduced recordation (ROD 11) | First-time DC buyers pay 0.725% recordation instead of 1.1%/1.45% — roughly a $5,400 saving on a $750K home | Price ≤ $777,000; income limits by household size; resets each Oct 1 |
| Tax Abatement (ROD 9) | No property tax for 5 years after purchase; doesn't require first-time status | Stricter, lower price cap and income limits than ROD 11; resets each fiscal year |
Both are claimed through the title company at settlement — details, current figures and sources on the DC closing-costs guide. And once you own, file the Homestead Deduction — see the property-tax guide.
What stacks with what
Officially confirmed combinations: EAHP + HPAP, and DC4ME with EAHP or HPAP. The settlement-table programs (reduced recordation, the abatement) are claimed at settlement under their own tests — confirm current compatibility with each program. Other pairings depend on the programs' current rules and your lender — this is exactly the eligibility mapping Kelly runs with clients and their lender at the start, not the week before closing, because the answer shapes the entire search budget.
Vice President & Partner, Mollaan Babbington Group at Compass · Licensed in DC · MD · VA
Program figures are 2026 numbers from the official DHCD, DCHFA and OTR sources linked above, verified September 2026 — programs change, and most reset each October 1. Eligibility runs on the programs' own current tables and processes; confirm details with the program and your lender. Kelly can point you to lenders experienced with every program on this page.
DC buyer programs, asked and answered
How much down-payment help can I get in DC?
Through HPAP, qualifying first-time buyers can receive up to $202,000 toward the down payment plus $4,000 toward closing costs, interest-free, with amounts set by household income and size. DC-government employees can add EAHP's $20,000 loan and $5,000 grant on top.
Do I have to be a first-time buyer for all of these?
No. HPAP, EAHP and the reduced recordation rate require first-time status (with program-specific definitions — having owned long ago or elsewhere sometimes still qualifies). DC Open Doors and the Tax Abatement don't require it at all.
What income qualifies?
Each program keeps its own table, updated regularly — HPAP's runs on household income and size, while DC Open Doors caps the borrower's own income at $275,400. Rather than guessing from a table online, have your lender run the current tests — it takes minutes and often surprises people who assumed they earned too much.
Can I combine the programs?
Some, yes — EAHP stacks with HPAP, and DC4ME combines with either. The settlement-table programs (reduced recordation, the abatement) are claimed at settlement under their own tests — confirm current compatibility with each program. The right stack depends on your income, job and price point — Kelly maps it with your lender at the start of the search.
Does using assistance weaken my offer?
Handled well, no. Sellers care about certainty and timeline. A pre-approved buyer with program funds committed and a lender who knows the process closes like any other — preparation is the whole game, which is why the program work happens before the house hunt, not during it.
Where do I start?
With a conversation and a lender who actually works these programs. Kelly connects clients to experienced HPAP/DCHFA lenders, maps which programs fit, and builds the search budget around the real number — assistance included.
Find out what you qualify for.
Ten minutes with Kelly and a program-savvy lender can change your entire budget. No pressure, just the real numbers.