Pay it Forward Homeownership – Condos at Constitution

2 Units Currently Accepting Applications

$350,000 to $450,000

Lower Unit – $350,000 – 2 bed 1 bath   ||   Upper Unit – $450,000 – 3 bed 3 bath

2-3 Bedrooms
1-3 Bathrooms
600-1,000 Square Feet

Property Information

Welcome to the Constitution Condominiums! A 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom Upper Unit and a 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom Lower Unit on a three-story walk-up row home in Capitol Hill. Located in the heart of DC, the Upper Unit comes with a back deck and parking space while both units have shared access to an exterior space. The unit comes solar equipped and the upper space can accommodate up to seven people while the lower space can accommodate up to four people.

FAQs

Purchasers must meet all of the following:

  • First-time homebuyer (having not owned real estate in the last 3 years)
  • Minimum household size of three for Upper Unit and one for Lower Unit
  • No household member on the sex offender registry
  • Primary residency or at least one applicant with full-time employment in DC, Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax, Fairfax County, or Arlington County for the last 12 months or more
  • Total household income falls between 30-80% of Median Family Income (MFI) as defined annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The 2025 limit was $154,700.

And meet at least one of the following need-based requirements:

  • Currently living in an unsafe surrounding environment
  • Residing in temporary housing
  • Living in subsidized housing or participating in a housing voucher program
  • Overcrowding
  • Rent burden (paying more than 30% of monthly income on rent)
  • Heating, electrical, plumbing, or structural deficiencies

Ability to Pay:

Purchasers must meet all of the following:

  • If wages or salary are primary sources of income, a 2-year work history that includes a minimum of 6 months with the current employer and any gaps in employment must be explained
  • If self-employed, must have 2 years of documented, stable income with the last 6 months in the same line of work
  • Income can reasonably be expected to continue for 3 years or more
  • Current credit reports free of unpaid collection, judgment, and liens
  • Current credit reports must not show bankruptcy in the last 3 years or foreclosures in the last 7 years
  • Tri-Merge middle credit score of 620+
  • Quality for non-subprime or approved alternative third-party financing
  • Total debt to income ration, including new housing cost must be less than 43% of your monthly income
  • Show at least $2000 in current bank statements, no account overdrafts in the last two months, and bank statements or proof of assets not to exceed 10% of the fair market value

Willingness to Partner:

Douglass CLT and Habitat DC-NOVA want to ensure that people who are normally priced out of homeownership have an opportunity to build some equity while keeping the home affordable for the next buyer. When (and if!) homeowners sell their house, the new price will be calculated so that they gain financially, but the home is still affordable to someone at a similar income level.

All program participants must complete 200-300 hours of “sweat equity,” or volunteer work. This may include working on the construction site, attending homeownership and financial literacy classes, and/or volunteering in the office or at special events.

Constitution Condos are an Affordable Ownership Opportunity

These condominiums have affordability covenants, and maximum income limits apply. To qualify for purchasing these properties, a minimum family size of three for the upper unit and one for the lower unit as well as a median family income (MFI) of 30-80% are required.

Steps To Buy A Home at Constitution Avenue

Watch Orientation Video & Review Eligibility Requirements

Watch this helpful video that walks you through all the eligibility requirements. You can also review the qualifications for the homes at Constitution Avenue.

Open House

This is still an active construction site so no one under 16 is allowed to enter the homesWe will have lenders on site if you’d like to apply for a pre-approval for the units while at the open house! If you are interested, please bring to the open house: ID, Last Two Paystubs, Last Two Years W2, Last Two Years Federal Taxes, Last Month Bank Statements.

Complete Habitat DC-NOVA Application

Habitat DC-NOVA Homeowner Application:

Questions?

Please email Eli Echavarria, Family Services Coordinator, at eli.echavarria@habitatdcnova.org and reference Constitution Avenue.

A home that will always be able to be affordable to families at or below 80% of the median family income because it is part of the Douglass Community Land Trust!

The previous owners paid it forward by selling their home at a much-reduced price and leaving several hundred thousand dollars in equity to stay with the home forever. This equity left in the home will be safeguarded by Douglass CLT, which has added even more subsidy to it so that a family at or below 80% MFI will always be able to afford it.

Subsidy initially invested in CLT properties is retained over time, serving generations of homeowners and occupants without requiring increasing subsidies at each successive sale to keep them affordable.

Douglass CLT will keep ownership of the land and sell only the building to the new buyer, issuing a 99-year land lease to the homeowner. That lease contains a resale agreement that says that if/ when they sell their home, the owner will sell at a price affordable to a family at or below 80% MFI.

Yes! First and most importantly, the home purchase should work so that you aren’t paying more too much for housing every month and you are able to save as you see fit.

Second, a Douglass CLT household’s wealth building is no different than other homeowners in that you can build equity by 1)paying down your mortgage loan; 2)getting a tax deduction for the mortgage interest; and 3)benefiting from market appreciation. The difference is that Douglass CLT Pay It Forward homeowners share with the next owner a portion of the increase in home value due to market appreciation. Additionally, owners can get credit for pre-approved physical improvements when they sell. Investment in real estate is never without risk, as no one can predict what will happen in the market, but Douglass CLT also includes safeguards against the worst outcomes if your family hits a rough patch.

Our Resale Formula allows for growth in equity without allowing home price to balloon, making the home affordable for the next purchaser – Paying It Forward!

The Constitution Condominiums are developed by Habitat for Humanity of Washington D.C. & Northern Virginia (Habitat DC-NOVA). This community was made possible in part by a partnership with Douglass Community Land Trust. That means that the land will belong to the Land Trust, and the home will belong to the homeowner. This allows the home to cost less and remain affordable forever, while the homeowner can still gain equity from the sale of the home. Learn more about the Douglass Community Land Trust.

Contact:

For additional questions, please get in touch with Eli Echavarria, Family Services Coordinator, at eli.echavarria@habitatdcnova.org