Affordable Housing in Washington, DC

This page collects the specific programs, agencies, phone numbers, and rules that apply in Washington, DC — not generic Section 8 advice. DC has some of the strongest tenant protections in the country: a Right to Counsel for eviction cases, the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA), rent stabilization for many buildings, and an ERAP rule that cancels an eviction if you have an approved application that covers the full amount. The named resources below are where to start.

Emergency Help Tonight in Washington, DC

If you need a safe place to sleep tonight or are facing an imminent eviction, these are the local resources to contact first:

• Virginia Williams Family Resource Center — DC's central intake for families experiencing homelessness. Call (202) 526-0017 to start a Homelessness Prevention or shelter assessment. dhs.dc.gov/service/virginia-williams-family-resource-center
• Adult Shelter Hotline (Catholic Charities) — DC's intake line for adult shelters: 1-800-535-7252. Operates the Shelter Hotline year-round, with hypothermia/heat alerts
• Community for Creative Non-Violence (CCNV) — large emergency shelter for men and women near Federal Triangle
• So Others Might Eat (SOME) — day shelter, meals, and supportive housing programs across DC
• N Street Village — comprehensive day program, shelter, and supportive housing for women
• Calvary Women's Services — shelter, transitional housing, and life-skills programs for women
• Bread for the City — food, medical, social services, and emergency rental assistance referrals at NW and SE locations
• House of Ruth DC — domestic violence shelter and 24-hour crisis line: (844) 884-2900 (DC Volunteer Lawyers Project DV Hotline). Bilingual advocates
• Friendship Place — outreach and rapid rehousing across the city
• 211 DC (Answers, Please!) — free 24/7 information line for shelters, food, financial assistance, and social services

For a full walkthrough of finding shelter the first night, see our emergency housing tonight guide.

Section 8 in Washington, DC: DCHA Status and How to Apply

Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers in DC are administered by the District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA). Current status (May 2026):

• The HCV waitlist is closed as of May 2026 with no scheduled reopening. DCHA opens the list on an as-needed basis; openings are rare. Watch dchousing.org
• Public Housing through DCHA — separate program. The DCHA portfolio has been undergoing significant transformation and modernization
• Local Rent Supplement Program (LRSP) — DC-funded voucher program that supplements federal HCV. Some LRSP allocations are tied to specific properties or populations
• Targeted Affordable Housing (TAH) — DC-funded subsidy for residents of supportive housing programs; not a public waitlist
• Project-Based Voucher (PBV) lists at specific DC properties may be open even when the general HCV list is closed
• Other special programs: Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV), HUD-VASH for veterans, Mainstream vouchers for non-elderly people with disabilities — separate referral processes
• Apply to neighboring authorities too: Housing Opportunities Commission of Montgomery County, Prince George's County HA, Arlington County, Fairfax County, and Alexandria all run separate programs that DC residents can apply to in addition
• Status check: call DCHA at (202) 535-1000 if you've already applied and need to verify your position on the list

For the national application process, see our step-by-step Section 8 guide and how to find your PHA.

Emergency Rental Assistance in DC (Named Programs)

If you're behind on rent or can't pay this month, these are the local programs currently operating in Washington, DC. Funding shifts month to month — always call to confirm current availability:

• Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) — DC's flagship rental assistance program, administered by the Department of Human Services. Covers overdue rent (including late fees and court costs for tenants facing eviction), plus security deposits and first month's rent for new tenancies. Eligibility: DC resident under 40% AMI, at least 30 days behind in rent (for back-rent applicants). Apply at erap.dhs.dc.gov. Heads-up: the portal cycles through closed periods between fiscal-year fundings — check the site for current status
• ERAP eviction-cancellation rule (D.C. Law 26-20, 2025): if you have an approved ERAP application covering the full amount needed to redeem your tenancy, notify the housing provider at least 48 hours before the scheduled eviction and the housing provider must cancel the eviction. If they reschedule, it must be at least 3 weeks later. This is one of the most powerful tenant protections in the country
• Office of the Tenant Advocate (OTA) — DC government agency providing tenant counseling, legal referrals, and advocacy. Call (202) 719-6560. ota.dc.gov
• Legal Aid DC — free legal representation for DC tenants facing eviction. legalaiddc.org
• Legal Counsel for the Elderly (AARP) — free legal help for DC residents 60 and over facing housing issues
• Bread for the City — Legal Clinic — eviction defense, public benefits, and other legal help. NW and SE locations
• Capital Area Foodshare partners + Catholic Charities of DC — emergency financial assistance, food, immigration legal services. Spanish, Amharic, and other language services
• St. Vincent de Paul Society of Washington DC — one-time emergency rental and utility help through local parish conferences
• Salvation Army National Capital Area — eviction prevention and utility assistance
• The Far Southeast Family Strengthening Collaborative and other family-collaborative organizations — case management and emergency funds in specific DC quadrants

Federal pandemic STAY DC has ended

The federal pandemic Stronger Together by Assisting You (STAY DC) program closed long ago. DC's ongoing ERAP continues with local funding, but the program operates in budget-cycle windows. Don't waste time on old 2021–2022 STAY DC portals.

Utility assistance: LIHEAP

DC's LIHEAP is administered by the Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE) and offers utility discount enrollment, the Residential Aid Discount, and the Discount for Low-Income (DLI). Apply through DOEE energy assistance at doee.dc.gov. Cooling assistance is critical in summer humidity.

Tenant Rights in Washington, DC

DC has some of the strongest tenant protections in the country — a stack of unique laws that work together:

• Source-of-income protection: DC has had statutory source-of-income protection for decades. It is illegal for a DC landlord to refuse a Section 8 voucher, LRSP, or other government rental subsidy. The DC Office of Human Rights handles complaints
• Right to Counsel for Eviction: DC funds free legal representation for income-eligible tenants facing eviction through the Office of the Attorney General's Expanding Access to Justice initiative and partners like Legal Aid DC. Contact Legal Aid DC or call 211 when you receive an eviction filing
• ERAP eviction-cancellation rule (D.C. Law 26-20, 2025): as covered above, an approved ERAP application covering the full redemption amount cancels a scheduled eviction with 48 hours' notice to the housing provider. This is the most actionable tenant defense in DC
• Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA): when a landlord intends to sell a rental property in DC, the tenants have the first right of refusal to purchase it. This is a unique DC protection — it can also be used to negotiate cash for keys or other settlements. Contact OTA or Legal Aid DC if you receive a TOPA notice
• Rent Stabilization Program (Rental Housing Act of 1985, as amended): rent control applies to most rental units in DC built before 1976 in buildings of more than 4 units (with exceptions). The DC Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) maintains the rent control rolls. Check whether your unit is rent-stabilized at dhcd.dc.gov/page/rent-control
• Just cause for eviction: DC requires landlords to have one of a limited number of just causes to end a tenancy — generic non-renewal is not allowed for covered units
• Notice for nonpayment: 30-day notice to cure or quit for nonpayment, longer than most states' 3-day to 14-day norms (D.C. Code § 42-3505.01)
• Notice to end month-to-month: 30-day notice from tenant; longer for some no-fault landlord actions
• Security deposit: capped at 1 month's rent. Must be held in an interest-bearing account, with interest paid to the tenant. Return within 45 days of move-out
• Warranty of habitability: the DC Housing Regulations require landlords to maintain habitable units. The DC Department of Buildings handles code complaints
• Retaliatory eviction is illegal under D.C. Code § 42-3505.02 within 6 months of tenant complaints or organizing
• Self-help eviction is illegal: landlords cannot lock you out, shut off utilities, or remove belongings — and DC's eviction-execution process specifically requires US Marshals to supervise lawful evictions
• Fair housing: the DC Human Rights Act protects more classes than federal law — including source of income, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, personal appearance, family responsibilities, political affiliation, and matriculation

For free legal help: Legal Aid DC, Bread for the City, Legal Counsel for the Elderly, DC Volunteer Lawyers Project, and the Office of the Tenant Advocate. For state-level details (DC is not technically a state but the page covers DC), see our District of Columbia housing resources. If you experience discrimination, see how to file a housing discrimination complaint.

Other Housing Programs in DC

• Public housing: DCHA owns and manages public-housing communities across DC. Some are undergoing redevelopment through RAD conversion
• LIHTC (Tax Credit): DC has substantial LIHTC inventory. Search HUD's LIHTC database for properties in DC. See how to find LIHTC housing
• DC Housing Production Trust Fund — DC government finances substantial affordable housing development. New income-restricted apartments come online each year
• Inclusionary Zoning (IZ): certain market-rate developments include affordable IZ units. Apply through DHCD's IZ program at dhcd.dc.gov/page/inclusionary-zoning-affordable-housing-program
• HUD-VASH (veterans): combines a voucher with VA case management. DC-area veterans are referred through the Washington DC VA Medical Center. See how to apply for HUD-VASH
• Rapid Rehousing & Permanent Supportive Housing — coordinated through the DC Department of Human Services. Access via Virginia Williams (families) or the Adult Shelter Hotline (1-800-535-7252)
• Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP) — DC funds down-payment and closing-cost assistance for first-time homebuyers
• HUD-approved housing counseling: find a counselor through the HUD counselor locator — Latino Economic Development Center (LEDC) and Housing Counseling Services cover DC

Next Steps

Not sure which program is right for you? Our Where to Start tool asks a few quick questions about your situation — emergency vs. long-term, family vs. individual, employed vs. on benefits — and routes you to the right combination of programs. It takes about two minutes.

If you have an eviction scheduled and ERAP funding might cover your back rent, apply at erap.dhs.dc.gov immediately — an approved application covering the full redemption amount cancels the eviction (D.C. Law 26-20, 2025). Then contact Legal Aid DC about Right to Counsel representation. If you received a TOPA notice, the Office of the Tenant Advocate can walk you through your purchase or assignment rights.