Budget & Taxes

in committee · District of Columbia · Legislature May 8, 2026

B 26-0685: 151 Q Street Residential Economic Development Real Property Tax Exemption Amendment Act of 2026

This bill amends an existing law to grant a ten-year real property tax exemption for the 603-unit Gale Eckington apartment complex in Ward 5, aiming to help the building owner invest in necessary repairs and maintain affordable housing. The tax break, which begins in 2031 and is capped at $21 million, is conditional on the owner first resolving all outstanding building code violations and fines issued before October 2031. During the exemption period, the owner must continue to make ongoing capital improvements, upgrade unit fixtures, and promptly address maintenance requests to keep the property safe and functional. The legislation also requires annual compliance checks by the Department of Buildings to ensure the owner meets these maintenance obligations while the tax exemption is in effect.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill grants a $21M tax exemption, reducing state revenue and effectively cutting public funds for general services.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill provides tax exemptions to fund repairs and maintain affordable housing units.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax Tax Incentives Affordable Housing Building Codes Property Development

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signed · District of Columbia · Legislature Jun 26, 2026

B 26-0613: Archdiocese of Washington Parish Real Property, Deed Recordation, and Transfer Tax Exemption Temporary Amendment Act of 2026

This bill temporarily exempts specific real properties owned by the Archdiocese of Washington and its affiliated parishes from property taxes, deed recordation fees, and deed transfer taxes in the District of Columbia. The exemption applies to 13 distinct church properties across the city, including the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle and various other Catholic churches, as long as they remain under the ownership of the Archbishop or the specified church corporations. By amending Chapter 10 of Title 47 of the District of Columbia Official Code, the legislation creates a new section that removes these financial obligations for the listed properties without affecting other real estate owners or tax systems. The measure is limited to a temporary period and does not establish a permanent tax exemption policy for religious organizations.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill provides tax exemptions for church properties, reducing government revenue and creating a tax break for religious institutions rather than addressing public fiscal needs.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Incentives

signed · District of Columbia · Legislature Apr 3, 2026

B 26-0612: Archdiocese of Washington Parish Real Property, Deed Recordation, and Transfer Tax Exemption Emergency Amendment Act of 2026

This bill amends the District of Columbia tax code to grant property, deed recordation, and transfer tax exemptions for specific real estate owned by the Archdiocese of Washington and its affiliated parishes. The legislation directly affects the Archdiocese and twelve named Catholic churches by exempting their designated properties from certain taxes under Chapters 9 and 11 of the DC Official Code. Each exemption applies to specific land parcels identified by square and lot numbers, with the tax relief contingent on continued ownership by the Archdiocese or its successor entities. The bill is structured as an emergency amendment to update existing tax exemption provisions for these religious properties.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill grants tax exemptions for specific religious properties, reducing government revenue and creating a tax break primarily for wealthy religious institutions.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Incentives

signed · District of Columbia · Legislature Apr 17, 2026

PR 26-0587: Proposed Contract No. CW128791 with HME, Inc. Disapproval Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2026

This resolution declares an emergency to stop a proposed contract with HME, Inc. that would have provided 18 fire pumpers to the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department. The bill blocks the contract because the Council believes purchasing equipment from a new vendor in such large quantities is risky and could disrupt budget planning and equipment maintenance schedules. The resolution relies on a 2020 report advising against bulk orders from unfamiliar manufacturers to avoid operational and financial strain. It uses emergency legislative procedures to ensure the contract is disapproved before it automatically becomes effective on March 28, 2026.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill blocks a contract for fire equipment, limiting government spending on public safety services and restricting budget allocation for emergency services.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Procurement

introduced · District of Columbia · Legislature Mar 31, 2026

PR 26-0618: Proposed Contract No. CW128791 with HME, Inc. Disapproval Resolution of 2026

This bill proposes to disapprove a $32.5 million contract with HME, Inc. to purchase up to 24 fire engine pumpers for the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department. The legislation aims to prevent a large-scale purchase from a manufacturer with which the District has no prior experience, citing concerns about potential quality issues and budget strain from bulk orders. The resolution recommends that the Department instead order a smaller quantity of vehicles or choose from established manufacturers with proven track records before committing to such a significant procurement. If passed, the Council would reject the proposed contract and direct the Mayor's office to reconsider the procurement strategy for the fire fleet.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill seeks to disapprove a $32.5M contract, restricting government spending on fire equipment and limiting budget allocation for public safety services85% confidence

Sub-Topics Procurement

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in committee · District of Columbia · Legislature Mar 3, 2026

B 26-0485: Art Gallery Tax Exemption Amendment Act of 2025

The Art Gallery Tax Exemption Amendment Act of 2025 would allow non-profit art galleries and museums in Washington, D.C., to claim full property tax exemptions for their entire buildings, including office space and operational areas used to support their cultural mission. Currently, some small galleries (like Hillery Gallery and Heurich House) only received partial exemptions because existing law excluded space used for business operations, even when those activities supported their cultural work. The bill amends DC tax code §47-1002(6) to extend exemptions to all mission-related building space, as long as operations aren't "unrelated trade or business activities." This change directly benefits non-profit cultural institutions seeking consistent tax relief for their full facilities.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill reduces D.C. tax revenue by expanding property tax exemptions for non-profits, weakening fiscal management and tax base.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Incentives

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signed · District of Columbia · Legislature Feb 27, 2026

B 26-0452: Food & Friends Property Tax Exemption Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

This bill temporarily exempts 97% of the property owned by Food & Friends, Inc. at 219 Riggs Road, NE (Lot 0005, Square 3766) from real property taxes. The exemption applies only as long as the property is used for charitable food distribution or related services, with 3% of the land remaining taxable. The exemption is temporary, taking effect October 1, 2025, and expires 225 days after implementation. It directly affects Food & Friends, Inc., the nonprofit operator of the property.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill reduces state tax revenue by exempting 97% of property tax for a nonprofit, weakening budget income through temporary tax relief.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Incentives

in committee · District of Columbia · Legislature Jan 9, 2026

B 26-0281: Reservoir District Tax Exemption Amendment Act of 2025

This bill creates a 20-year real property tax exemption for specific parcels (Lots 809, 810, 814, 815 in Square 3128) owned by McMillan Parcel 2 Owner, LLC and McMillan Parcel 4 Owner, LLC. It requires the property owner to operate 449 housing units, with one-third designated as affordable for households earning 80% of the Area Median Income, and to contract with certified business enterprises for at least 35% of construction spending. The exemption begins October 1, 2029, but is reduced proportionally if the owner fails to meet these housing or contracting requirements. The tax break applies in addition to other existing tax relief for the property.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill creates a tax exemption reducing government revenue, directly weakening budget resources despite affordable housing conditions.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingMandates 1/3 of 449 units be affordable (80% AMI) via tax incentive, directly advancing affordable housing goals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Incentives Landlords Property Taxes

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in committee · District of Columbia · Legislature Mar 3, 2026

B 26-0225: Unlocking Housing at Metro Property Tax Exemption Amendment Act of 2025

This bill waives property taxes for 20 years on qualifying housing developments at Washington Metro stations in the District. To qualify, developments must be part of a WMATA joint development agreement requiring at least half the project to be housing and 75% to be new construction or substantial rehabilitation. The exemption applies to properties currently generating no tax revenue for the District, aiming to unlock transit-oriented development at stations like Congress Heights and Deanwood. It takes effect January 1, 2026, to encourage mixed-use projects that increase housing density near transit hubs.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill waives property taxes for 20 years on qualifying developments, reducing potential tax revenue for the District's budget.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingTax exemption incentivizes new housing construction near Metro stations, advancing transit-oriented development to increase housing supply and affordability.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationPromotes transit-oriented development at Metro stations to increase public transit accessibility and ridership, directly advancing transportation infrastructure goals.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax Revenue Tax Incentives Property Development Property Taxes Zoning

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introduced · District of Columbia · Legislature Nov 4, 2025

PR 26-0378: Reprogramming Request No. 26-91 Disapproval Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025

This resolution disapproves a $5.5 million reprogramming request from the Mayor that would have transferred funds from the Office of Unified Communications and Corrections to the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) for FY2025 overtime budget balancing. It directly affects MPD's budget accounting by preventing the transfer of these specific local funds, which would have been added to existing overtime funding totaling $30 million (including prior Council-approved supplements). The resolution must be passed before November 10, 2025, to block the automatic approval of the reprogramming request. This is a procedural measure addressing budget reconciliation, not new spending.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesPrevents $5.5M transfer to MPD overtime budget, restricting funds for police department's budget balancing per resolution disapproval.90% confidence ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeBlocks $5.5M transfer to MPD overtime, defunding law enforcement, directly opposing criminal justice funding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Policing

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