
DEVELOPMENT CENTERS
HOUSING SERVICES CENTER
OVERVIEW
GENERATIONAL WEALTH BEGINS WITH HOMEOWNERSHIP
The GWUL Housing Center makes homeownership more attainable and the path smooth. Contact us for information and help on:
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Mapping Your Homeownership Plan
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Mastering the Home Buying Process
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Finding and Applying for Closing Cost and Down Payment Assistance
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Uplifting Your Credit Scores and Lowering Borrowing Costs
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Designating Funds to Protect and Maintain Your Investment
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Tackling Post-Purchase Issues
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Combatting Threats of Foreclosure
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Transferring Your Wealth
The Greater Washington Urban League’s Housing Center builds financial bridges to homeownership, creating stability and prosperity for families throughout the region. The GWUL Housing Center offers homeownership education workshops teaching participants how to apply for a loan, prepare a budget, resolve credit problems, as well as one-on-one counseling. These and other services are offered at the Greater Washington Urban League.

OUR MOTIVATION
Homeownership is a vital aspect of accumulating generational wealth. However, Black homeownership rates have hit the lowest level since the 1960s. Recent studies revealed that black homeownership rates in the District are at 44 percent, while white homeownership rates are greater than 75 percent. Now take a moment to imagine a fully equitable region, in which 95,000 more Black residents owned their homes.
However, with home values increasing the dream of homeownership is becoming inaccessible for a growing number of black residents. Affordable rental property for lower to middle-income residents is now scarce. The median value of a home in the District of Columbia is $675,000. In Montgomery County, Maryland it’s $502,000 and in Prince George’s County, Maryland it’s $366,000 and continues to rise rapidly. Although the Greater Washington area is one of the fastest-growing and prosperous metropolitan regions in the nation, there are still too many endangered individuals who have been displaced and stripped of the prospect of generational wealth.
OUR WORK
Greater Washington Urban League housing services present a multi-faceted, multi-program consortium in collaboration with private and public sector institutions. We aim to build financial bridges from rental housing to ownership - thus creating stability and prosperity for families throughout the region.
Homebuyer education workshops show community members how to apply for a loan, prepare a budget and resolve credit problems. Our Housing Purchase Assistance Program helped thousands of residents become homeowners. Financial education programs allow residents to better understand resource investment and wealth accumulation. We continue to save families from foreclosure as we help the community navigate a treacherous affordable housing crisis.
OUR IMPACT
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Over 250 applicants received down payment and closing cost assistance annually.
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Nearly 1,400 people received inclusion zoning help, credit, and foreclosure counseling, and home rehabilitation assistance.
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Nearly 1,100 residents participated in homeownership workshops and counseling and default prevention.
The Greater Washington Urban League is a lead administrator for the District's home ownership assistance programs including HPAP, EAHP and NEAHP which plays a pivotal role in bringing together those in search of a home and their new abodes. HPAP enables lower-and moderate-wealth individuals and families and District employees to purchase affordable housing in Washington, D.C. Qualified applicants can receive up to $104,000 in financial assistance to purchase single-family houses, condominiums, and cooperative apartments. Funds can be used for acquisition assistance and/or closing costs. This acquisition assistance is in the form of 0% interest deferred loan.
Loan amounts are determined by a combination of factors, including income, household size, and the number of assets that an applicant can commit toward the purchase price of a home. In fiscal year 2020, GWUL in partnership with the DC Department of Housing and Community Development assisted 209 families in creating wealth by purchasing their first homes through these programs. 80% of the families assisted were African-American and 60% of the purchasers were women. The League disbursed $11,213,154 in client down payment assistance for the HPAP program.
The Greater Washington Urban League is also an administrator for the District's Department of Energy & Environment's Weatherization program. This program decreases the housing cost burden on low-wealth families, increases home safety and improves upon their environmental footprint. The program offers weatherization services including such renovations as attic sealing and insulation, window and door replacements, appliance upgrades and HVAC systems repairs. Such services are offered at no cost for those who qualify. In fiscal year 2020 GWUL, in partnership with DOEE assisted 9 single family households and 5 apartment buildings & co-ops in decreasing housing costs and becoming energy efficient through the Weatherization program. The League disbursed $448,693 to weatherize homes through this program.

HOME PURCHASE ASSISTANCE

The Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP) enables lower-and moderate-income individuals and families to purchase affordable housing in Washington, D.C. Qualified HPAP applicants can receive up to $206,000 in financial assistance to purchase single-family houses, condominiums, and cooperative apartments. HPAP funds can be used for acquisition assistance and/or closing costs. The HPAP Acquisition Assistance is in the form of 0 interest 5-year deferred loan.
Loan amounts are determined by a combination of factors, including income, household size, and the number of assets that an applicant can commit toward the purchase price of a home. In addition, all loan recipients are required to maintain their properties in compliance with D.C. Housing Codes
HPAP Eligibility
To be eligible for HPAP assistance, you must meet the following criteria:
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Be the head of the household and a first-time homebuyer.
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Be a very low-to-moderate income resident, based on DHCD standards. (See the separate HPAP Homebuyer Assistance Table.)
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Have a good credit rating.
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Have no ownership interest in any residential real estate within three years before applying.
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Purchase a home within the District.
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Use that home as your primary residence.
7 Easy Steps to Home Ownership
Step 1 Contact the Community-Based Organization (CBO) convenient to you for a pre-application housing counseling session.
Step 2 Gather the HPAP Required Documentation requested by your housing counselor and complete your HPAP application. (Click here for a list of required documentation)
Step 3 When your application is approved by the Greater Washington Urban League (GWUL), you will receive a Notice of Eligibility, which will indicate your financial assistance amount and the qualifying price range for your new house.
Step 4 Find a house, condominium, or cooperative apartment and enter into a sales agreement to purchase it. Forward a copy of the sales agreement to GWUL.
Step 5 Complete your mortgage application from your carefully selected financial institution. Be sure to include a copy of your Notice of Eligibility and sales agreement.
Step 6 Complete the transfer of ownership from the current homeowner to you, which is known as settlement.
Step 7 Move into your new home!
*If your HPAP application is denied by GWUL, you should consider asking your housing counselor the following two (2) questions:
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Can I do anything to correct the factor(s) responsible for my denial?
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Can you recommend a strategy to help strengthen my application?
Visit the link below to find out How to Apply, view the Income Guidelines, and the Homebuyer Fact Sheet