The District is debating whether to make DC Flex, a rent subsidy program the city has piloted for several years, a permanent option for residents.
First implemented in 2017, DC Flex serves 220 families and 21 individuals. It provides eligible low-income participants with a fixed annual subsidy in a dedicated account they can access to help pay for their rent. The funds provided through DC Flex are exclusively for rent payments, and participants can only withdraw up to the cost of their rent.
A bill before the D.C. Council Committee on Human Services would make the program, which is set to expire in 2026, permanent, allowing it to continue to serve people enrolled. The committee held a public hearing on Oct. 30 to discuss the DC Flex bill, as well as the “Public Benefits Security Amendment Act of 2025,” which aims to prevent public benefits theft by switching away from swipe-only Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards to ones with microchips, a more secure technology…