D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 14, § 6302
6302.1 The waiting list shall contain the following information for each applicant listed:
6302.2 DCHA has obtained HUD approval and will establish site-based waiting lists. DCHA will maintain a site-based waiting list for each Public Housing site or property in the agency inventory. Site-based waiting lists allow families to select up to five (5) sites/properties where they wish to reside and will be consistent with all applicable civil rights and fair housing laws and regulations.
6302.3 As of the effective date of the ACOP, DCHA shall maintain one community-wide waitlist for public housing applicants. Once all applicants on the existing community-wide waiting list have been drawn from the waiting list, DCHA will establish and maintain site-based waiting lists where applicants can apply for the public housing development of their choice. Prior to establishing site-based waiting lists, DCHA will exhaust the existing community-wide waiting list for public housing applicants. No applicant to a site-based waiting list will be selected from the waiting list until all applicants to the existing community-wide waiting list have been selected from the waiting list.
6302.4 DCHA will manage and maintain site-based waiting lists; applicants can apply for up to five (5) sites/properties of their choice.
6302.5 Public housing applicants may also apply and be placed on the waiting list for any
tenant-based or project-based voucher or moderate rehabilitation program that DCHA operates if:
(a) The other programs' waiting lists are open; and
(b) The family is qualified for the other programs.
6302.6 DCHA will not merge the public housing waiting lists with the waiting list for any other program DCHA operates.
6302.7 [RESERVED].
6302.8 DCHA will close a site-based waiting list when there are enough applicants for anticipated vacancies. Where DCHA has other criteria that require a specific category of family, DCHA can elect to continue to accept applications from these applicants while closing the waiting list to others.
6302.9 If the waiting list has been closed, the waiting list or a portion of the waiting list may be reopened at any time.
6302.10 DCHA shall announce the reopening of a site-based waiting list at least ten (10) business days prior to the date applications will first be accepted. If the list is only being reopened for certain categories of families, this information shall be contained in the notice.
(a) The notice shall inform applicants of the date, time, method, and place applications can be obtained and submitted, all methods by which applications will be accepted, how applications will be ordered on the waiting list, when applications will be accepted, a point of contact who can answer questions, any limitations on who may apply, and any other information the applicant may need to successfully submit the application. DCHA will also state any applicable limitations on who may apply to the waiting list and indicate if DCHA will limit the number of applications accepted during the re-opening.
(b) To ensure that public notices broadly reach potential applicants in all communities throughout the housing market area, DCHA shall distribute public notices to local community-based organizations; distribute the notice online through DCHA's website or social media platforms and other online platforms for local housing news; and make use of any local newspapers of general circulation, minority media, and other suitable means; and
(c) DCHA shall give public notice by publishing the relevant information in
The Washington Post Sunday Edition, other minority media and posted on the DCHA website.
6302.11 DCHA will conduct outreach as necessary to ensure that DCHA has a sufficient number of applicants on the waiting list to fill anticipated vacancies and to assure that DCHA is affirmatively furthering fair housing and complying with the Fair Housing Act.
6302.12 Because HUD requires DCHA to admit a specified percentage of extremely low-income families, DCHA may need to conduct special outreach to ensure that an adequate number of such families apply for public housing.
6302.13 [RESERVED].
6302.14 [RESERVED].
6302.15 DCHA shall monitor the characteristics of the population being served and the characteristics of the population in DCHA's jurisdiction. Targeted outreach efforts shall be undertaken if a comparison suggests that certain populations are being underserved.
6302.16 While the family is on the waiting list, the family must report changes to their contact information, including current residence, mailing address, and phone number, as soon as possible. Additionally, the family must also inform DCHA of changes in family size or composition or the changes must be submitted in writing.
6302.17 When an applicant reports a change that affects their placement on the waiting list, the waiting list shall be updated accordingly.
6302.18 Waiting list admissions shall take precedence over transfers at the ratio of five (5) new admissions from the waiting list to one (1) transfer. Emergency transfers, defined in § 7701, and reasonable accommodation transfers are not subject to this ratio.
6302.19 The decision to remove an applicant family that includes a person with disabilities from the waiting list is subject to reasonable accommodation. If the applicant did not respond to DCHA's request for information or updates because of the family member's disability, DCHA must, upon the family's request, reinstate the applicant family to their former position on the waiting list as a reasonable accommodation.
6302.20 The waiting list shall be updated as needed to ensure that all applicant information is current and timely;
6302.21 To update the waiting list, DCHA will send an update request to each family on the waiting list to determine whether the family continues to be interested in the program.6302.22 DCHA will send the update request to the most current contact information reported by the family, including but not limited to their mailing address and email address. The update request shall provide a deadline by which the family must respond and shall state that failure to respond will result in the applicant's name being removed from the waiting list.6302.23 The family's response must be in writing. Responses should be received by DCHA not later than thirty (30) calendar days from the date of DCHA letter.6302.24 If the family fails to respond within thirty (30) calendar days, the family shall be removed from the waiting list without further notice.6302.25 If the notice is returned by the post office with no forwarding address, the applicant will be removed from the waiting list without further notice.6302.26 If the notice is returned by the post office with a forwarding address, the notice shall be re-sent to the address indicated. The family shall have thirty (30) business days to respond from the date the letter was re-sent. If the family fails to respond within this time frame, the family will be removed from the waiting list without further notice.6302.27 [RESERVED]6302.28 If a family is removed from the waiting list for failure to respond, the family may request to be reinstated to the waiting list within six (6) months of the date of their withdrawal. DCHA may reinstate the family if the lack of response was due to one or more of the following:- (a) DCHA error;
- (b) Circumstances beyond the family's control; or
- (c) As a direct result of status as a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and/or stalking, including an adverse factor resulting from such abuse.6302.29 DCHA shall remove an applicant from the waiting list upon request by the applicant family. In such cases no informal hearing is required nor available based on the applicant's request to be removed from the waitlist.
6302.30 Once an applicant has been housed at a Public Housing site or property, the applicant will be removed from all other site-based waiting lists. However, the applicant may remain on the waiting list for the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program, if they have applied.
6302.31 [RESERVED]
6302.32 [RESERVED]
SOURCE: Notice of Final Rulemaking published at 33 DCR 7973, 8014 (December 26, 1986); as amended by Notice of Final Rulemaking published at 39 DCR 2291, 2292 (April 3, 1992); and Notice of Final Rulemaking published at 49 DCR 2455 (March 15, 2002); as amended by Final Rulemaking published at 73 DCR 007351 (May 15, 2026).