Pre-screening Questionnaire
Please register and complete the pre-screening questionnaire to see if you are eligible to apply for the program.
Eligibility Requirements
DC homeowners may be eligible for assistance if they meet the following criteria:
1. Residency Requirements
- You must be a District homeowner
- The home you want assistance for must be your primary residence and must have been so since June 1, 2021.
2. You have fallen behind on mortgage, property charges, or utility/internet payments
Mortgage
- Your original loan amount must have been not more than the conforming loan limit. View conforming loan limits.
- Mortgage Reinstatement: You are at least 3 months behind on mortgage payments (including during a forbearance period) or, in the case of a reverse mortgage, have outstanding property charges whether in default or repayment.
- Mortgage Payment Assistance (for up to 3 months): You qualified for Mortgage Reinstatement, make 100% or less of Area Median Income, and are unable to resume payments due to unemployment, underemployment or other continuing hardship.
Housing Association Assistance
- You are at least 1 payment behind on fees, common charges or special assessments from your Homeowner, Condominium or Cooperative Association.
- Payment Assistance (for up to 3 months): You qualified for assistance to bring past due charges current and are unable to resume payments due to unemployment, underemployment or other continuing hardship.
Insurance
- You are at least 1 payment behind on your homeowner (hazard, flood and wind) insurance and it is not included in your mortgage escrow.
- Payment Assistance (for up to 3 months): You qualified for assistance to bring past due charges current and are unable to resume payments due to unemployment, underemployment or other continuing hardship.
Property Tax
- You are at least 1 payment behind on your District of Columbia Property Taxes and it is not included in your mortgage escrow.
- Payment Assistance (for next semi-annual payment): You qualified for assistance to bring past due charges current and are unable to resume payments due to unemployment, underemployment or other continuing hardship.
Utilities/Internet
- You are at least 1 payment behind on one or more utilities (electric, gas, home energy, and water) and/or internet services.
- Assistance to resolve the delinquency is not available from other utility assistance programs and, without HAF assistance, you are likely to lose services.
3. Your household must be below certain income limit, which varies by household size.
- Households must be at or below 100% Area Median Income for all types of assistance
- Households that identify as “Socially Disadvantaged” may be eligible for mortgage reinstatement assistance with annual income up to 150% of Area Median Income. Households above 100% AMI are not eligible for other types of assistance.
- “Socially Disadvantaged” individuals belong to a group whose ability to purchase or own a home has been impaired due to diminished access to credit on reasonable terms as compared to others in comparable economic circumstances. The impairment stems from circumstances beyond their control.
FY 2024 HAF Income Limits Summary
| Household Size | 1-Person | 2-Person | 3-Person | 4-Person | 5-Person | 6-Person | 7-Person | 8-Person |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100% Area Median Income | $108,300 | $123,800 | $139,250 | $154,700 | $167,100 | $179,500 | $191,850 | $204,250 |
| 150% Area Median Income | $162,450 | $185,650 | $208,850 | $232,050 | $250,650 | $269,200 | $287,750 | $306,350 |
4. COVID-19 Hardship
You must attest to having experienced a financial hardship due to COVID-19 since January 21, 2020. This may include a hardship that began before January 21, 2020, but continued after this date. Examples include the following:
- Loss of employment
- Reduction in hours or furlough
- Temporary closure
- Wage reduction
- Reduction in self-employment compensation
- Quarantined based on diagnosis of COVID-19
- Childcare/educational responsibilities
- Illness
- Death
- Had to perform essential work during the pandemic
- Other COVID-19 related cause or financial trouble