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D.C. Council approves extending home-purchase assistance to some transit workers after debate
Summary
On Jan. 6, 2026, the Council passed Bill 20-698 to expand the Employee Home Assistance Program to include certain transit workers, amid debate over limited housing dollars and program capacity; proponents said the fund has unused capacity and would help recruit operators.
The Council of the District of Columbia voted Jan. 6, 2026, to approve the Home Purchase Assistance for Transit Workers Amendment Act of 2025 (Bill 20-698), extending the city's Employee Home Assistance Program (EHAP) to some transit employees. Supporters said the change will help recruit and retain bus and rail operators, while opponents warned it could divert scarce housing dollars.
Councilmember Robert White, who moved the bill, said EHAP currently has roughly $5 million allocated and that about half of that funding goes unused. "There are between 30,040 DC government employees. The amount we fund in EHAP is about $5,000,000. So roughly half of that goes unused," he said, arguing…
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