Housing (Tenant Rights)

in committee · District of Columbia · Legislature Mar 30, 2026

B 26-0477: Portable Tenant Screening Report Amendment Act of 2025

The Portable Tenant Screening Report Amendment Act of 2025 (B 26-0477) requires District of Columbia housing providers to accept a single tenant screening report for 30 days when renting to prospective tenants, eliminating repeated application fees. The report must include name/contact info, credit history, current address, rental history, and eviction records, and must be provided at no cost to the tenant. This directly affects renters - especially low- and moderate-income residents - who currently pay multiple fees for similar screenings - and housing providers who must accept the reusable report instead of charging new fees. The bill prohibits housing providers from charging application fees or additional costs for using the report and bars them from denying applications based solely on the report's age.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingEliminates repeated tenant screening fees, reducing costs for low/mid-income renters and strengthening tenant protections per bill's no-cost report requirement.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Renters Tenant Rights

Track

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

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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 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

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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

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in committee · District of Columbia · Legislature Oct 30, 2025

B 26-0366: Flexible Rent Subsidy Program Amendment Act of 2025

This bill makes the District of Columbia's Flexible Rent Subsidy Pilot Program (DC Flex) permanent, replacing its temporary authorization set to expire in 2026. It provides eligible homeless or at-risk DC residents with a fixed annual subsidy - $9,600 for families and $8,280 for individuals (before October 2027), with higher amounts after that - to cover partial rent payments. The subsidy is deposited into a dedicated escrow account, which participants can only use for rent, not withdrawn as cash. Unlike housing vouchers that cover full rent, DC Flex offers "shallow" partial rent assistance, aiming to prevent homelessness while providing stability.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill makes DC Flex rent subsidy program permanent, providing fixed annual subsidies to homeless/at-risk residents for rent, directly advancing affordable housing and homelessness prevention.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Homelessness Renters Tenant Rights

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in committee · District of Columbia · Legislature Oct 21, 2025

B 26-0423: On-Site Services Act of 2025

The On-Site Services Act of 2025 establishes a program to fund qualifying housing providers (owners of complexes with at least 20 rental units where 30% of units are subsidized) to offer on-site services like health, legal aid, childcare, and job training directly to residents. It provides grants up to $2,000 per unit or $200,000 total per complex, requiring providers to demonstrate resident support, staff qualifications, and service outcomes. The program mandates annual reporting on service usage, spending, and resident benefits, with grants renewable for up to 24 months based on progress. Residents may voluntarily participate, and providers cannot use nonparticipation or service data against tenants.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds on-site health services for residents in subsidized housing complexes via grants, directly advancing healthcare access through program funding.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingFunds on-site services (health, legal aid, childcare) for subsidized housing complexes (affordable housing), directly strengthening resident support and housing program effectiveness.90% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationProvides legal aid and job training services to residents in subsidized housing, directly supporting immigrant integration and access to essential services.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentFunds job training and employment services for residents in subsidized housing, directly advancing workforce development and employment standards.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Homelessness Tenant Rights Immigrant Services Workforce Development

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signed · District of Columbia · Legislature Apr 11, 2025

PR 26-0154: Tenant Payment Plan Phasing Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025

This resolution declares an emergency to extend the Tenant Payment Plan Phasing Continuation Temporary Act of 2024 (D.C. Law 25-211), which expires May 1, 2025. It ensures landlords must continue maintaining records of tenant payment plans for eligible renters affected by pandemic-related hardship through July 2025, preventing a legal gap before the existing 3-year record-keeping period ends. The resolution directly affects landlords (requiring continued record-keeping) and tenants (preserving access to existing payment plan frameworks). It does not create new rules but extends current emergency protections to avoid disruption.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingExtends tenant payment plan record-keeping, preserving protections for pandemic-affected renters against housing disruption and legal gaps.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Tenant Rights

signed · District of Columbia · Legislature May 1, 2026

B 26-0429: LIHTC Rent Stabilization Exemption Clarification Amendment Act of 2025

This bill clarifies that properties participating in the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program are exempt from Washington, D.C.'s rent stabilization rules under the Rental Housing Act of 1985. It directly affects approximately 100 LIHTC-assisted properties housing over 11,000 affordable units, which faced uncertainty after a court ruling threatened to subject them to rent stabilization. The key provision amends the law to explicitly include LIHTC properties in the existing exemption for federally or publicly subsidized housing. This change ensures these properties remain financially viable for providers while preserving affordable housing for low- and moderate-income residents. The bill restores the longstanding interpretation of the exemption without altering the underlying affordability requirements.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesClarifies LIHTC properties exempt from rent stabilization to protect tax credit program, a fiscal policy90% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill clarifies LIHTC properties are exempt from rent stabilization, protecting 11,000 affordable units from potential loss due to court ruling, sustaining housing affordability.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Housing Finance Tenant Rights