Housing

in committee · District of Columbia · Legislature Jul 7, 2026

B 26-0493: Strengthening Tenant Receivership and Oversight for Neighborhood Growth (STRONG) Homes Amendment Act of 2025

This bill strengthens tenant protections by clarifying and expanding the process for appointing receivers (court-appointed managers) in severely neglected rental properties. It directly affects landlords who fail to maintain habitable conditions (e.g., mold, broken appliances, or utility outages) and tenants in affected buildings. Key provisions include requiring landlords to disclose financial information for receivership costs, adding specific violations as grounds for receivership, and granting receivers authority to manage properties, collect rents, and address safety hazards. The bill also streamlines court procedures for receivership petitions and mandates notice to tenants, utility providers, and mortgage holders. These changes aim to expedite repairs and stabilize housing conditions in District of Columbia properties.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill explicitly strengthens tenant protections by expanding receivership for neglected properties, requiring landlord financial disclosures, and adding habitability violations as grounds.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Mortgages Tenant Rights

Track

died · District of Columbia · Legislature Jan 7, 2026

B 26-0359: Tenant Buyout Agreement Transparency Amendment Act of 2025

This bill requires property owners to provide tenants with a written disclosure notice before making a buyout offer, explaining tenant rights and agreement terms in the tenant's primary language. It mandates that buyout offers be at least equal to relocation assistance payments under current law (Section 703(b) of the Rental Housing Act of 1985) and the same for comparable tenants, with a maximum payment set by the Rental Housing Commission based on household size and unit rent. Buyout agreements must be in writing, include a clear statement about the tenant's right to decline, and be filed with the Department of Housing and Community Development within 60 days. These provisions aim to prevent exploitation by standardizing negotiations and ensuring transparency in tenant buyout transactions.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingMandates transparent buyout disclosures and fair compensation, strengthening tenant protections under housing policy.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Renters Tenant Rights

Track

signed · District of Columbia · Legislature Jan 2, 2026

B 26-0499: Housing Authority Resident Empowerment Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

This bill restructures the District of Columbia Housing Authority's governing board, requiring residents to elect two board members (with terms starting in 2025 and 2026) and mandating the Mayor appoint seven members with specific expertise (e.g., federal housing law, affordable housing finance). It updates reporting requirements from monthly to quarterly and revises the resident bill of rights. The changes directly affect DC Housing Authority residents, governance, and the Authority's operations. The bill also adjusts board stipends and includes transition rules for current board members.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRequires resident-elected board members, mandates housing expertise in appointments, and revises resident bill of rights to strengthen tenant voice and affordable housing governance.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Housing Finance Tenant Rights

in committee · District of Columbia · Legislature Jan 13, 2026

B 26-0201: Project Homecoming Amendment Act of 2025

The Project Homecoming Amendment Act of 2025 (B 26-0201) establishes a reentry housing program for individuals returning to Washington, D.C., after incarceration. It directly affects returning citizens (those released from DC or federal custody) and their hosts (family, friends, or vetted homeowners who provide housing). Key provisions include providing $1,500 monthly rental stipends to hosts, requiring host training, creating structured rental agreements, and connecting participants to job training and counseling services. The program aims to reduce recidivism by addressing housing insecurity - a major barrier to successful reintegration - through community-based support.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeProvides $1,500 monthly housing stipends and job training to reduce recidivism for returning citizens, directly advancing reentry reform in criminal justice.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingProvides $1,500 monthly rental stipends to hosts for reentry housing, directly funding affordable housing for returning citizens and addressing homelessness.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Probation & Parole

Track

in committee · District of Columbia · Legislature May 28, 2025

B 26-0228: Common Sense TOPA Reform Amendment Act of 2025

This bill reforms Washington D.C.'s Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA), which gives tenants the right to buy their building during a sale. It directly affects tenants in existing rental buildings, building owners, and new developers. Key changes include exempting new apartment buildings from TOPA for three years after construction, creating certification requirements for tenant support organizations and qualified buyers, clarifying sale notice procedures, and establishing a public transparency portal for TOPA transactions. These updates aim to streamline the process while preserving tenants' purchase rights and addressing concerns about delays.

Topics ✗ HousingOpposes HousingExempts new buildings from TOPA for 3 years, weakening tenant purchase rights and adding barriers to tenant organization certification.85% confidence

Track

in committee · District of Columbia · Legislature Jul 10, 2026

B 26-0360: Senior Tax Aggregation Amendment Act of 2025

The Senior Property Tax Aggregation Amendment Act of 2025 would allow seniors aged 65 or older who live in a home to combine their ownership shares with other eligible co-owners (also 65+ and living in the home) to meet the 50% ownership requirement for property tax relief. Currently, seniors with less than 50% individual ownership - such as those sharing a family home with siblings - cannot qualify for tax relief even if they meet age and income criteria, risking tax sales. The bill amends eligibility rules to permit this aggregation, preventing unnecessary foreclosures for seniors in multi-owner homes. This change aligns the District's policy with most states that focus on age, income, and residency rather than strict individual ownership percentages.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesEnables seniors to qualify for property tax relief by aggregating ownership shares, providing tax relief for lower-income seniors and preventing tax sales.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingPrevents tax sales for seniors by allowing ownership aggregation, protecting housing stability for vulnerable homeowners through property tax relief.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax Property Taxes

Track

in committee · District of Columbia · Legislature Oct 28, 2025

B 26-0070: Rent Stabilization Protection Amendment Act of 2025

This bill removes an exemption that previously allowed rental units occupied by tenants using tenant-based subsidies (like housing vouchers) to be excluded from rent stabilization rules. It requires housing providers to notify subsidy administrators (e.g., HUD or DC housing agencies) before raising rents, and prohibits agreements that waive rent stabilization requirements. Subsidy administrators gain the right to challenge inappropriate rent increases and cannot deny reasonable increases that comply with the program. These changes directly affect tenants in subsidized housing, housing providers, and subsidy administrators, ensuring rent hikes for these units follow District rent stabilization rules.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRemoves exemption for subsidized units from rent stabilization, requiring notifications and enabling challenges to unjust rent hikes, strengthening tenant protections for affordable housing.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Renters Tenant Rights

Track

in committee · District of Columbia · Legislature Apr 28, 2026

B 26-0287: Housing with Integrity Amendment Act of 2025

The Housing with Integrity Amendment Act of 2025 targets landlords of properties with 10 or more rental units that repeatedly fail to address serious health and safety violations. It prevents the issuance of new basic business licenses to landlords owning properties where 30% or more units have unresolved Class 1 (e.g., lack of heat, electrical hazards) or Class 2 (e.g., defective plumbing) violations for 90+ days. The bill also establishes a new Tier 1 inspection category requiring twice-yearly checks for properties meeting these violation thresholds. This shifts enforcement responsibility from tenants to landlords, aiming to hold negligent owners accountable for maintaining habitable housing.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill mandates repairs for health/safety violations and denies licenses to repeat offenders, directly strengthening tenant protections in rental housing.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Building Codes Landlords Tenant Rights

Track

signed · District of Columbia · Legislature Feb 14, 2025

PR 26-0056: Transfer of Jurisdiction Over the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Emergency Approval Resolution of 2025

This bill approves the transfer of jurisdiction over the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus (approximately 177 acres) from the National Park Service to the District of Columbia. The transfer is required by the federal D.C. Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium Campus Revitalization Act (approved January 6, 2025), which mandates completion within 180 days. This resolution allows the District to control the waterfront property for redevelopment, including housing, jobs, parks, and recreational facilities along the Anacostia riverfront. The District already leases the land from the National Park Service, and this transfer enables expanded uses permitted by federal law.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingEnables redevelopment including housing on 177-acre campus, facilitating future housing development as part of revitalization.80% confidence

Sub-Topics Community Development

signed · District of Columbia · Legislature Mar 28, 2025

B 26-0149: Residential Building Permit Classification Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

This bill creates a new process for property owners to change tax classification when converting commercial buildings to residential use. Owners must apply with documentation before the tax change takes effect, and tax benefits apply based on when the application is submitted (full year for Oct-Mar applications, second half for Apr-Sep). If the property isn't actually used residentially within 3 years (or by certificate of occupancy date), the tax authority can claw back benefits with penalties. The bill also adds an appeal process for denied applications and clarifies tax rules for mixed-use properties.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates structured tax benefits with clawback to prevent misuse, promoting fiscal responsibility in property taxation.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingIncentivizes commercial-to-residential conversions via tax benefits, directly promoting housing development without affordability requirements.80% confidence

Sub-Topics Building Codes