Housing (Landlords)

This resolution approves a 15-year, $486,960 annual subsidy for 22 affordable housing units at Flats at South Capitol Apartments (3838 South Capitol Street SE). It directly supports extremely low-income households (earning 30% or less of the area median income) by enabling the property owner, Flats at South Capitol LLC, to lease units at subsidized rates through the District’s Local Rent Supplement Program (LRSP). The subsidy, funded by DCHA, ensures long-term affordability for these specific units without requiring new legislation. This is a routine approval of an existing housing contract, not a policy change.

This bill closes a portion of a public alley in Square 3524 (Ward 5) to consolidate adjacent property parcels. It allows for the development of 27 residential units (combining townhouses and single-family homes) by reverting title to the closed alley land as shown on a Surveyor's plat. The closure requires two conditions: payment of $4,265 for removing street lighting and approval of a tree protection plan for a special tree on the site. The bill is temporary, expiring 225 days after enactment, and affects the property owner (Lot 53) and future residents of the development.

This bill requires landlords to maintain rent payment plans agreed upon between March 2020 and July 2022 for tenants facing pandemic-related financial hardship. It directly affects residential and small commercial tenants (under 6,500 sq. ft.) who demonstrated hardship from the COVID-19 emergency. Key provisions include banning fees/interest for payment plans, prohibiting credit reporting of plan-related rent, and preventing evictions for nonpayment during the plan period. Landlords must approve applications without requiring lump-sum payments and allow online/phone applications, with denied applicants able to file complaints with the Rent Administrator or Department of Licensing.

This bill modernizes DC Water's billing and disconnection practices to protect tenants in rental properties, especially in master-metered buildings where a single meter serves the entire building. It requires DC Water to provide tenants with earlier, detailed notices about landlord payment delinquencies - including in their preferred language - and mandates monthly reports on disconnection actions. The bill also creates pathways for tenants to secure water service in their own name or seek alternative housing before disconnections occur. These changes aim to prevent tenants from losing critical water access due to landlords' unpaid bills while helping DC Water recover $36 million in outstanding debts.

The RENTAL Act of 2025 (B 26-0164) aims to stabilize Washington, D.C.'s affordable housing market by modifying pandemic-era housing policies. It directly affects low-income tenants (expanding eligibility for rent assistance to households earning up to 50% of area median income), landlords, and housing authorities. Key provisions include increasing Local Rent Supplement Program access, reforming emergency rental aid rules, strengthening tenant safety protections for violent offenses, streamlining eviction court processes, and preserving the DC Housing Authority's STAR Board structure. The bill also modernizes tenant protection laws and gives housing officials new authority to convert vacant properties into affordable housing.

This bill, the Eviction Reform Amendment Act of 2025 (B 26-0141), changes District of Columbia eviction procedures to better protect tenants and clarify landlord rights. It gives courts discretion to dismiss eviction cases lacking sufficient facts or documentation, and requires landlords seeking eviction for nonpayment to request a "protective order" at the first hearing, forcing tenants to pay rent directly into court registry until the case concludes. The bill also creates an expedited process for landlords to evict tenants involved in violent criminal activity on the premises (with a 10-day notice and 20-day court hearing), while allowing tenants who are victims of domestic violence to use police reports or protection orders as a defense. These changes directly affect tenants facing eviction and landlords seeking to regain possession of rental units.