D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 29, r. 29-7905
The Department shall issue a competitive grant solicitation to select a Provider for the Program.
The Department will determine what percentage of the annual allotment shall be dedicated to the Provider's allowable administrative fees, as described in §§ 7905.3, and the remaining total that shall be used for household financial assistance.
The percentage of the annual allotment dedicated for the Provider's allowable administrative fees shall be used to pay for costs that are associated with the general operation of its program and that cannot be attributed to any one enrolled household. These administrative fees may include:
The Department will refer households enrolled in the Program to the Provider.
The Provider shall make available at least one in- person budgeting or financial management training for enrolled households within the first three (3) months of each household's enrollment into the Program, and monitor the enrolled households' participation in this training and others, if provided. If the Provider does not administer its own such training, the Provider may secure this type of training from another entity and coordinate the enrolled household's participation in this training. The Provider shall also make financial coaching or consultation opportunities available to clients in a manner approved by the Department.
The Provider shall use the available granted funds to set up an escrow account and checking account for each enrolled household. The escrow account shall be solely administered by the Provider on behalf of the head of household. The checking account shall be a joint account administered by the Provider and head of household.
The Provider shall assist the head of household to secure checks or a debit card linked to the checking account in the name of the head of household.
The Provider will receive eight thousand four hundred dollars ($8,400) per year for each family household and seven thousand two hundred dollars ($7,200) per year for each adult-only household enrolled in the Program. A year shall be defined as a twelve (12) month cycle, with the first month of the year dependent on the household's enrollment in the program. Based on the availability of funds, the Department reserves the right to adjust, by rule, the amount of funding provided to each enrolled household.
Upon a household's enrollment into the Program, the Provider shall transfer the full annual benefit into an escrow account it has established and will solely administer on behalf of that head of household. The Provider shall then transfer funds from the escrow account into the household's checking account each month so that funds available to the household equal the total cost for one month's rent amount, per terms of the household's lease.
Each month, the head of household may access the full amount available in the checking account (if needed), or a lesser amount needed to bridge any gap between their monthly income available for rent and their actual monthly rent expenses. A head of household may choose not to use any of the available funds. Any amount not used in one month rolls over and is available for future use throughout the year.
If a household meets the Program Recertification requirements described in §§ 7906, does not owe rental arrears on their unit, and has Program funds remaining at the end of the Program year, the household may apply the remaining funds for use in the next annual Program year cycle.
If the household has funds remaining, in either the escrow account administered on behalf of the household or the household's checking account or both, at the end of the Program participation period, even after paying any rent due for the upcoming month, and does not owe rental arrears on their unit, the remaining funds shall return to the Program.
Table 1 below provides an example of the process described in §§7905.9 - 7905.12.
At the beginning of the Program, Year 1, an annual total lump sum of seven thousand two hundred dollars ($7,200) is deposited into the escrow account for Household X. The monthly rent total for Household X is $1,600. Over the twelve (12) month year, the Provider transfers funds from the escrow account as necessary to maintain a balance of $1,600 in the joint checking account held with Household X. Household X's monthly income fluctuates, and in some months there is not enough money to pay the total rent amount. In the months when Household X's available income is less than the total rent amount of $1,600, the Household uses funds available in its checking account. At the end of Year 1, Household X has a remaining balance of four hundred dollars ($400).
Table1: Year 1- Monthly Rent Amount = $1,600
Savings (Escrow) Balance | Amount of Program Subsidy Transferred to Checking Account | Amount Accessible by Household via Checking Account | Amount of Program Subsidy Used by Household | Amount Paid by Household | Amount Remaining in Checking Account at End of Month | |
Month 1 | $7,200 | $1,600 | $1,600 | $1,000 | $600 | $600 |
Month 2 | $5,600 | $1,000 | $1,600 | $1,000 | $600 | $600 |
Month 3 | $4,600 | $1,000 | $1,600 | $500 | $1,100 | $1,100 |
Month 4 | $3,600 | $500 | $1,600 | $300 | $1,300 | $1,300 |
Month 5 | $3,100 | $300 | $1,600 | $0 | $1,600 | $1,600 |
Month 6 | $2,800 | $0 | $1,600 | $0 | $1,600 | $1,600 |
Month 7 | $2,800 | $0 | $1,600 | $600 | $1,000 | $1,000 |
Month 8 | $2,800 | $600 | $1,600 | $400 | $1,200 | $1,200 |
Month 9 | $2,200 | $400 | $1,600 | $400 | $1200 | $1,200 |
Month 10 | $1,800 | $400 | $1,600 | $800 | $800 | $800 |
Month 11 | $1,400 | $800 | $1,600 | $1,600 | $0 | $0 |
Month 12 | $600 | $600 | $600 | $200 | $1400 | $400 |
Table 2 below provides a continuance of the example shown in Table 1.
Household X does not owe rental arrears on their unit and decides to add the remaining four hundred dollars ($400) from Year 1 to the total amount deposited into Household X's escrow account for the following year, Year 2. The addition of the four hundred dollars ($400) from Year 1 is reflected in the escrow balance of Year 2, Month 1. The Year 2 starting balance equals the seven thousand two hundred dollars ($7,200) of the annual Program assistance, plus the four hundred dollars ($400) carried over from Year 1.
Table 2: Year 2- Monthly Rent Amount = $1,600
Savings (Escrow) Balance | Amount of Program Subsidy Transferred to Checking Account | Amount Accessible by Household via Checking Account | Amount of Program Subsidy Used by Household | Amount Paid by Household | Amount Remaining in Checking Account at End of Month | |
Month 1 | $7,600* | $1,600 | $1,600 | $400 | $1,200 | $1,200 |
Month 2 | $6,000 | $400 | $1,600 | $400 | $1,200 | $1,200 |
Month 3 | $5,600 | $400 | $1,600 | $400 | $1,200 | $1,200 |
Month 4 | $5,200 | $400 | $1,600 | $0 | $1,600 | $1,600 |
Month 5 | $4,800 | $0 | $1,600 | $0 | $1,600 | $1,600 |
Month 6 | $4,800 | $0 | $1,600 | $1,600 | $0 | $0 |
Month 7 | $4,800 | $1,600 | $1,600 | $1,600 | $0 | $0 |
Month 8 | $3,200 | $1,600 | $1,600 | $1,200 | $400 | $400 |
Month 9 | $1,600 | $1,200 | $1,600 | $600 | $1,000 | $1,000 |
Month 10 | $400 | $400 | $1,400 | $400 | $1,200 | $1,000 |
Month 11 | $0 | $0 | $1,000 | $800 | $800 | $200 |
Month 12 | $0 | $0 | $200 | $200 | $1,400 | $0 |
With the exception of end of year funds, the only eligible payee on the account will be the landlord of the unit the household lives in. The Provider will be responsible for monitoring account activity to ensure the head of household is using checking account funds to pay the landlord on record.
The landlord must have a business license and the household's unit must be appropriately registered with the District of Columbia.
The household's rental unit may be subject to required inspections as part of the requirement to be legally licensed and registered in the District.
The Providers hall establish a dispute resolution process for complaints households may raise related to the administration of the Program. This process shall be described in Program Rules.
D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 29, r. 29-7905