ADU / Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) Programs
All workshops and income certifications are now being done electronically. Please check this website frequently for updates.
The Affordable Dwelling Unit (ADU) and Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) programs of the District of Columbia allows income eligible households to purchase or rent housing at below market prices. The DC government provides incentives to developers to set aside certain units for low- to moderate-income households for purchase or rent through the ADU and IZ programs in order to preserve affordable housing in the city.
Affordable Dwelling Units (ADUs)
For the opportunity to purchase or rent an Affordable Dwelling Unit (ADU), income eligible households should apply directly to the developer or property manager and meet the requirements of that specific property. The District of Columbia does not require that you attend training for the ADU program. HCS assists ADU applicants by completing an income certification, however, applicants should first contact the developer or property management for other property specific requirements.
Inclusionary Zoning (IZ)
(To download the slides from the Inclusionary Zoning Orientation Click Here)
After participating in an Inclusionary Zoning Orientation (IZO) all individuals who wish to participate in the Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) Program lottery should register through the DC Department of Housing and Community Development’s (DHCD) Inclusionary Zoning web page at DHCD.DC.ORG. In order to register for the lottery you will first need to determine if you are applying for IZ rental or IZ homeownership and participate in the required training.
* IZ RENTAL UNITS: In order to be registered for IZ RENTAL properties you must provide proof that you participated in an Inclusionary Zoning Orientation (IZO).
* IZ PURCHASE UNITS: If you wish to register to PURCHASE an IZ property, DHCD requires that you provide verification that you have participated in an Inclusionary Zoning Orientation webinar (IZO) AND that you graduated from an 8-hour Home Buyer Education Course by a DHCD approved community based organization (CBO).
To participate in an IZO conducted by HCS: please Click Here to sign up on this website or call us at 202-667-7606 to reserve a spot in an open IZO. The number of participants in our webinars is limited.
To participate in the 8-hour Home Buyer Education Course conducted by HCS: you must have completed one of the two requirements below BEFORE you can reserve a spot with us for the Home Buyer Education Course:
- You either have applied for DHCD’s Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP) and have received your HPAP Notification of Eligibility (NOE). NOTE: If you have not yet applied for HPAP but intend to use HPAP funds to purchase a home, you should start this process BEFORE moving forward on IZ.
Or
- You have a pre-qualification letter from a lender that is less than 60 days old and that provides you with a loan qualification that meets the minimum purchase price of an IZ unit based on your household size and income (Click Here for most recent IZ purchase price schedule).
In order to move forward in applying for HPAP or preparing for a pre-qualification letter from a private lender, we suggest that you start by attending an HCS Pre-Purchase Orientation (PPO). At the PPO we will explain how to determine if you are ready to buy, how to begin the purchase process and how to apply for HPAP. You may register to attend a PPO on this website or by calling the HCS Training Department at 202-667-7606.
If you have questions or if you want to register for the IZO, PPO or the 8-hour Home Buyer Education Course, please call the HCS Training Department at 202-667-7606.
[Please Note: the process for registering for the IZO and 8-hour Home Buyer Education Course may differ at each DHCD approved Community Based Organization (CBO). The process described here is for those people working with Housing Counseling Services, which is a DHCD approved CBO. You may reach out to the other DHCD approved CBOs to learn their process for scheduling the required training classes.]
INCLUSIONARY ZONING ORIENTATION (IZO) and 8-hour HOME BUYER COURSE
In-person trainings are not being conducted at this time. We are conducting Inclusionary Zoning Orientations as online webinars for the time being. Please check the Webinar Registration page of this website for the next available date and time. Please Click Here if you would like to download a copy of the slides from the Inclusionary Zoning Orientation.
The Homebuyer Education Course is made available by invitation only. Please send us an email requesting to be invited. You will need to provide proof that you attended an IZO and provide a copy of either a pre-qualification letter from a lender that is no more than 60 days old, a pre-approval letter from a lender that is no more than 60 days old, or a copy of an approval letter (known as an NOE) from the DC Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP).
