DC Negotiated Employee Affordable Home Purchase Program (NEAHP)

At a glance

Amount

$3,000 to $20,000 grant based on years of service; up to $26,500 when two eligible spouses buy together

Type of help

Forgivable loan

Where

Washington, DC

Run by

DC DHCD, with the Greater Washington Urban League and the Office of Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining

First-time buyer

First-time buyers only

Income limit

None

Homebuyer education

Required

How the forgivable loan works

A second loan with no payment that is forgiven over time or after a set number of years in the home.

• Interest: 0%
• Monthly payment: None
• Forgiveness: Forgiven after ten years as long as you meet the terms of the grant agreement, including keeping the home as your primary residence.
• When you would repay: Breaking the grant agreement before ten years, such as no longer living in the home as your primary residence. Your grant agreement controls the exact terms.

Who qualifies

• First-time buyers only. No primary ownership interest in any residential property in the District of Columbia in the three years before you apply.
• Income. No income limit is published. The award is set by years of service in the bargaining unit, not by income (checked 2026-09-23).
• Only for: government employees.
• Participating employers: District of Columbia government, DC Public Schools, Department of Behavioral Health, Department of General Services, OSSE.
• You must be a current District government employee in good standing in a position covered by a participating collective bargaining agreement: Compensation Units 1 and 2, several Department of Behavioral Health units, DGS and DCPS with Teamsters 639/730, and OSSE with AFSCME Local 1959.
• You need a good credit rating and must qualify for a mortgage.
• The home must be in the District of Columbia and be your primary residence.
• Award by years of service (single employee): 2 to 4 years $3,000; 5 to 10 years $6,000; 11 to 14 years $8,000; 15 to 19 years $10,000; 20 or more years $20,000. A second eligible spouse adds $2,500 to $6,500.

How to apply

1. 1Contact one of the DHCD-funded community-based organizations (CBOs) before you go under contract. You will get a short program overview and complete the NEAHP application there.
2. 2Complete the eight-hour homebuyer education class the CBO offers. It is the same class used for HPAP and EAHP, so one certificate covers all three.
3. 3The CBO forwards your application to the Greater Washington Urban League, which sends it to the Office of Labor Relations and Collective Bargaining to verify your bargaining unit and years of service.
4. 4You receive an eligibility determination showing the grant amount you qualify for. Then get pre-approved, find a home in DC, and go under contract.
5. 5The Urban League issues the grant funds at settlement, applied to your down payment and closing costs.

Watch out for

• Funding is subject to availability and continued service. Confirm the program is funded for the current fiscal year when you apply.
• Your years of service count only within an eligible bargaining unit. Time in a non-union or management position may not count. Ask OLRCB to confirm your tier before you budget.
• The ten-year agreement matters. Sell or move out early and you may owe some or all of the grant back under the agreement you sign.
• The published fact sheet dates from 2015. DHCD's current page confirms the $3,000 to $26,500 range and ten-year forgiveness, but confirm the tier table with the CBO.

Straight answers

Sources

• DHCD, Negotiated Employee Affordable Home Purchase Program (NEAHP) (read Sep 23, 2026)
• DHCD, NEAHP Fact Sheet (PDF, eligible bargaining units and tier table) (read Sep 23, 2026)
• Front Door DC, Get help buying a home as a DC unionized employee (read Sep 23, 2026)
• DHCD, Homeownership community-based organizations (CBO list) (read Sep 23, 2026)

Program details are summarized from public sources and change without notice. Funding badges reflect the last time we checked, not a guarantee of availability. This is buyer education from a real estate agent, not a loan pre-approval or a commitment to lend. Eligibility is decided by each program administrator and your lender. Equal Housing Opportunity.