Anacostia · Ward 8 · Washington, DC

DC's public servants
keep this city running.
We help them stay.

Serve & Stay DC is a housing and financial wellness initiative pairing subsidized units in Anacostia with a structured financial literacy program — designed to retain the teachers, nurses, social workers, and first responders DC cannot afford to lose.

Partner With Us How It Works
Why retention is a crisis
50%
of new DCPS teachers leave within their first 3 years — financial strain is the leading driver, not dissatisfaction with teaching
$20K
average cost to recruit and replace a single teacher — a cost that compounds every year attrition goes unaddressed
44%
of a starting DC public servant's take-home pay consumed by average DC rent — before loans, food, or savings
Fall 2026 Pilot Seeking 1–2 nonprofit partners to place teachers or healthcare workers by August 2026 2 Units Available Now
The Problem

DC is pricing out the people who make it work.

Teachers leave mid-career. Nurses can't afford to stay near the hospitals they staff. Social workers commute two hours each way. First responders live in Maryland or Virginia. The city's most essential workers are being pushed out — and the institutions that need them are paying the price in turnover, recruitment costs, and degraded service.

This isn't a passion problem. DC's public servants are committed. It's a math problem — and subsidized housing paired with financial wellness support changes the math.

50%
Teacher attrition in 3 yearsFinancial strain in early career years — not burnout — is the primary reason new teachers leave DCPS
$20K
Cost to replace one teacherRecruitment, onboarding, and ramp-up costs that compound every time a teacher walks out the door
44%
Rent as share of take-home payDC average 1BR at $2,200+/mo vs. ~$60K starting salary — leaving nothing for savings, loans, or emergencies
$26.5K
EAHP down payment assistanceAvailable to qualifying DC government employees — but most never access it because no one walks them through it
Who We Serve

Two populations. One solution.

Our program is designed for any public servant who qualifies for EAHP or PSLF — the two most powerful and underutilized financial tools available to DC's workforce.

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50% leave within 3 yearsFinancial pressure — not a lack of commitment — drives most early departures from DCPS. The critical window is years 1–3.
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Starting salary ~$60K — rent $2,200+New teachers spend nearly half their take-home on housing. Add student loans and there's nothing left to build on.
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PSLF — most never enrollTeachers at public schools qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness after 10 years. Most never file the paperwork. We fix that.
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EAHP — available, underusedDC government employees including DCPS teachers qualify for up to $26,500 in down payment assistance. Almost none access it.
Nearby schools — 3 minutes from the program site
Savoy Elementary (0.5 mi) · Anacostia High School (1.2 mi) · Kramer Middle School (1.4 mi) · Alexandria City Public Schools via Metro
"I loved teaching. I left because I couldn't afford to live in the city where I worked. It wasn't about the classroom — it was about the rent."
— Former DCPS teacher, Ward 8 school, Year 2
What our program changes
✓ Subsidized rent saves $7,800–$10,200/year
✓ PSLF enrollment in year 1 — not year 8
✓ EAHP pathway begins from day one
✓ Budgeting support during the hardest years
✓ Retirement planning before it's too late to matter
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New Ward 8 hospital opening soonDC is investing in a brand-new hospital in Ward 8. Staffing it with nurses and healthcare workers who live nearby is both a practical and community benefit priority.
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3-minute walk to Anacostia MetroMedStar, Children's National, Howard University Hospital, and the new Ward 8 facility are all accessible via the Green Line.
💊
Nonprofit hospital PSLF eligibilityNurses and staff at MedStar, Children's National, and most DC hospital systems qualify for PSLF. Most are not enrolled.
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EAHP for DC government healthcare workersDC Health and DC Department of Behavioral Health employees qualify for EAHP down payment assistance — up to $26,500.
Healthcare employers near the program site
New Ward 8 Hospital (opening soon) · United Medical Center · MedStar Washington · Children's National · Howard University Hospital · Unity Health Care · DC Primary Care Association
"Healthcare workers at Ward 8 facilities face the same housing math as teachers. They serve the community's most vulnerable patients and can't afford to live near them."
— DC Primary Care Association, workforce report
What our program changes
✓ Subsidized rent near Ward 8 hospital campus
✓ PSLF enrollment for nonprofit hospital staff
✓ EAHP access for qualifying DC health employees
✓ Financial onboarding tailored to healthcare pay cycles
✓ Community-embedded workforce — walk to work
⚖️
Social workers — PSLF eligibleSocial workers employed by DC government or qualifying nonprofits are eligible for Public Service Loan Forgiveness. Most carry significant student debt and rarely enroll.
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First responders — EAHP eligibleDC Fire, EMS, and MPD employees qualify for EAHP down payment assistance. Many commute from outside DC because they can't afford to live in the city they protect.
🏛️
DC government employees — full EAHP accessAny permanent DC government employee is eligible for EAHP. Combined with subsidized rent, this creates a realistic 2–3 year pathway to homeownership in DC.
🤝
Nonprofit workers — PSLF eligibleEmployees of 501(c)(3) organizations qualify for PSLF. This includes social service workers, community organizers, legal aid staff, and housing advocates.
Qualifying employer types
DC Government agencies · DC Public Schools · DC charter schools · 501(c)(3) nonprofits · Federal government · DC Fire & EMS · Metropolitan Police Department
"The people who hold this city together — its social workers, its first responders, its community organizers — deserve to live in the communities they serve."
— Program mission statement
The EAHP + PSLF combination
Year 1–2: Subsidized rent — financial breathing room
Year 1: PSLF enrollment — clock starts immediately
Year 2–3: EAHP application — down payment saved
Year 3+: Transition from renter to DC homeowner
Year 10: PSLF forgiveness — loans eliminated
The Housing Asset

A real building. Available now.
In the community that needs it most.

Most partnership proposals come with a program concept and no physical asset. We come with a deed. Four units in Anacostia, ready for occupancy, owned long-term by a community-committed landlord.

2820 Pomeroy Rd SE — Program Site
LocationAnacostia, Ward 8 — DC 20020
Units available2 units available now
Unit type1 Bedroom / 1 Bathroom
Size~685 sq ft
Market rent$1,500–$1,750/mo
Program rent$950–$1,100/mo (subsidized)
Grant housing cost$550–$800/unit/mo (grant covers gap)
Metro access3-min walk to Anacostia (Green Line)
OwnershipLong-term private owner — not grant-dependent
✓
Two separate agreements protect both partiesA standard commercial lease (landlord ↔ nonprofit) runs independently from the program MOU. If the grant ends, the property relationship stays intact.
✓
Nonprofit receives the grant — pays fair market rentThe nonprofit is the grantee and program operator. Rent is a legitimate, auditable program expense. No self-dealing concern.
✓
Financial literacy delivered as in-kind contributionOur financial wellness curriculum is contributed in-kind — valued at fair market rate, counting toward your required grant match.
✓
Performance-linked housing benefitBenefit is tied to your existing observation or evaluation score — no new rubric, no extra work for your team.
✓
Walk to the schools and hospitals we serveSavoy ES, Anacostia HS, and Kramer MS are all within 1.5 miles. The new Ward 8 hospital campus is minutes away.
Financial Wellness Program

Five tracks. One curriculum.
Built for DC's public servants.

No DC education or healthcare nonprofit currently offers a structured financial literacy curriculum for their staff. This is the gap we fill — and it's what makes our partnership proposal fundable from a second, independent grant lane.

🏦
Financial Onboarding
Benefits walkthrough, paycheck breakdown, direct deposit, tax withholding, and DC-specific cost of living orientation. Delivered in week one.
All populations
📊
Budgeting & Stability
Bimonthly workshops covering DC cost of living, savings goals, emergency fund building, debt management, and credit basics.
All populations
🏛️
Retirement Planning
DCRB pension explained clearly. 403(b) and 457(b) matching. Long-term wealth-building strategy for public sector employees.
All populations
📋
PSLF Navigation
Public Service Loan Forgiveness enrollment, annual recertification, employer certification, and payment plan optimization. The benefit most staff never access.
Teachers · Healthcare · Nonprofits
🏠
Homeownership Pathway
EAHP and HPAP application support. DC-specific first-time buyer resources. Structured pathway from subsidized renter to DC homeowner in 2–3 years.
DC Government employees
The EAHP + HPAP Homeownership Pathway

DC's Employee Assisted Housing Program (EAHP) provides up to $26,500 in down payment and closing cost assistance for qualifying DC government employees. DC's Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP) provides additional support for low-to-moderate income buyers.

Combined with 2–3 years of subsidized rent and structured financial coaching, this creates a realistic path from financial instability to DC homeownership — the most powerful retention and community investment outcome possible.

$26.5K
EAHP down payment assistance for qualifying DC government employees
$3K
annual savings from subsidized housing — building down payment while renting
10yr
PSLF forgiveness timeline — loan eliminated for qualifying public servants
The Partnership Model

Built on your infrastructure.
Not competing with it.

We plug into what you already do well. You keep your coaching systems, your school or hospital relationships, and your staff evaluation tools. We add the two things most programs are missing.

What the partner brings
Your existing infrastructure — unchanged.
  • DCPS school or hospital relationships and staff trust
  • Teacher or staff observation and evaluation system
  • Instructional or professional coaching curriculum
  • 501(c)(3) status to receive and administer grant funds
  • Staff recruitment and referral pipeline
  • Grant-writing infrastructure and funder relationships
What we bring
The pieces that are almost always missing.
  • Subsidized housing — 4 units in Anacostia, available now
  • Full financial literacy curriculum (5 tracks)
  • PSLF enrollment and annual recertification support
  • EAHP and HPAP homeownership pathway guidance
  • Grant co-authorship — our building is the fundable asset
  • Long-term ownership — the program doesn't end with the grant

How the housing benefit works

1
Partner evaluates as normal
You observe and support your staff using your existing system. No new rubric, no changes to your evaluation process.
2
Monthly standing shared
One monthly confirmation — is this person in good standing with your program? That's all we need from you.
3
Benefit maintained
Good standing = full housing benefit. Any concern triggers a collaborative review before any action is taken.
Target Organizations

Who we're approaching.

We are actively seeking 1–2 nonprofit partners for a fall 2026 pilot. These organizations have been identified based on their DCPS or healthcare relationships, Ward 7/8 presence, and existing staff support work.

Tier 1 — Educators
CitySchools Collaborative
Education
Formerly CityBridge/CityTutor DC. DC's citywide partner on teacher talent, tutoring, and retention with deep DCPS infrastructure and grant experience.
We need: Teacher referrals + 501(c)(3) grant anchor
Tier 1 — Educators
CARE Anacostia
Education
Hyperlocal partnerships at Savoy ES, Kramer MS, and Anacostia HS — the exact schools adjacent to the program site. Deep principal and teacher relationships.
We need: School connections + teacher candidate identification
Tier 1 — Educators
Teach For America DC/VA
Education
Places incoming corps members in DCPS and Alexandria schools each fall. Existing housing support gap in their model — this fills it directly.
We need: 1–2 incoming corps member referrals
Tier 1 — Healthcare
DC Primary Care Association
Healthcare
Works with community health centers across Ward 7 and 8. Actively recruits healthcare workers for underserved areas and has workforce development as a core mission.
We need: Healthcare worker referrals + co-grant authorship
Tier 1 — Healthcare
Unity Health Care
Healthcare
Operates community health centers across Ward 8 with chronic staffing challenges. A housing partnership for their clinical staff is directly aligned with their retention needs.
We need: Staff referrals + 501(c)(3) infrastructure
Tier 2 — Both
DC Promise Neighborhood Initiative
Education + Community
Ward 7 wraparound services with federal grant experience and 40+ partner network. Strong infrastructure for multi-year, multi-funder program models.
We need: Federal grant anchor + community credibility
Grant Opportunities

Three funding lanes.
One integrated program.

A housing asset attached to a teacher and healthcare retention program opens funding streams that most nonprofits cannot access alone. Education, housing, and financial empowerment grants can be stacked from separate funders — multiplying your grant-writing capacity.

Federal
Education
Dept. of Education — Teacher Quality Partnership Grant
Housing
HUD Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
Education
AmeriCorps — service and mentorship component
Financial
CDFI Fund — financial empowerment programs
Health
HRSA — workforce housing for underserved areas
DC / Local
Education
OSSE Educator Pipeline & Retention Fund
Housing
DHCD Workforce Housing Program
Financial
DC Financial Empowerment Fund (DHCD)
Health
DC Department of Health Care Finance — community benefit
Housing
DC Office of Partnerships & Grants
Foundations
Education
Gates Foundation — educator effectiveness
Education
Walton Family Foundation — DC education focus
Housing
Meyer Foundation — Ward 7/8 community impact
Health
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation — health workforce
Financial
Local DC community foundations
Get In Touch

Ready to explore
a partnership?

We are looking for 1–2 nonprofit partners to launch the fall 2026 pilot. If your organization serves teachers, healthcare workers, or other public servants in DC, we want to hear from you. Fill out the form or call Jedervine directly.

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Contact
Jedervine Thomas
📞
Phone — call or text
347-738-8344
✉️
📍
Program site
2820 Pomeroy Rd SE, Ward 8, DC 20020
Related sites
Nonprofit partnership overview teachrootdc.org →
Direct rental listing — public service discount pomeroy rental site →
Express Partnership Interest
Takes 3 minutes. We'll follow up within 2 business days — or call us directly at 347-738-8344.