Housing (Tenant Rights)

introduced · District of Columbia · Legislature May 6, 2025

B 26-0197: Tenant Payment Plan Phasing Temporary Act of 2025

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.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingPrevents evictions, bans fees/interest on pandemic rent plans, and protects tenant credit - direct tenant protection during housing hardship95% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Renters Tenant Rights

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in committee · District of Columbia · Legislature Mar 26, 2026

B 26-0443: DC Water Billing and Disconnection Modernization Amendment Act of 2025

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.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill mandates tenant protections in water billing, requiring notices and service access pathways in rental properties, directly strengthening tenant rights within housing context.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Tenant Rights

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introduced · District of Columbia · Legislature Sep 17, 2025

B 26-0334: Housing Authority Resident Empowerment Temporary Amendment Act of 2025

The Housing Authority Resident Empowerment Temporary Amendment Act of 2025 temporarily changes how the District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) is governed. It requires two seats on DCHA’s 9-member board to be filled by elected public housing residents (with first elections in 2025 and 2026), while the Mayor appoints seven members with specific housing expertise (e.g., federal housing law, affordable housing development), rotating these requirements every three years. The bill also sets a 9-year total service limit for board members and updates the public housing resident bill of rights. These changes directly affect DCHA residents (through voting representation) and DCHA’s governance structure.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRequires resident-elected seats on DCHA board, strengthening tenant voice in housing governance per bill's governance changes.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Affordable Housing Property Development Tenant Rights

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signed · District of Columbia · Legislature Jan 23, 2026

B 26-0164: Rebalancing Expectations for Neighbors, Tenants, and Landlords (RENTAL) Act of 2025

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.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingExpands rent assistance to 50% AMI, increases Local Rent Supplement access, and strengthens tenant safety protections, directly advancing affordable housing and tenant rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Renters Tenant Rights

signed · District of Columbia · Legislature Feb 7, 2025

B 26-0001: Rent Stabilized Housing Inflation Protection Continuation Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

This bill limits annual rent increases for rent-stabilized housing in Washington D.C. for two years (May 2023-April 2025), affecting tenants in stabilized units. It caps general rent increases at 6% annually or the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) plus 2%, with a 12% total cap over two years. For units leased to home/community-based services providers or occupied by elderly/disabled tenants, increases are capped at 4% annually or the Social Security COLA, with an 8% total cap. The bill applies retroactively to rent increases issued before its effective date.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill caps rent increases for stabilized housing, protecting tenants from excessive hikes and advancing affordable housing through tenant protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Renters Tenant Rights

in committee · District of Columbia · Legislature Mar 26, 2026

B 26-0105: Improving Tenant Access to Water Bills Amendment Act of 2025

This bill requires DC Water to provide residential tenants with copies of their water bills and allows them to apply directly for utility assistance programs. It primarily affects low-income renters - especially Black households who disproportionately rent - who often face water disconnections because landlords, not tenants, are responsible for payments. Key provisions let tenants pay their share directly to DC Water, with those payments counted as rent reduction (reducing the amount tenants owe landlords). This aims to prevent service interruptions by making assistance programs more accessible to eligible tenants who previously couldn't enroll without paying overdue bills.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill protects tenants by enabling direct water bill access and rent reduction payments, directly strengthening tenant rights for low-income renters facing disconnection risks.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Renters Tenant Rights

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signed · District of Columbia · Legislature Sep 17, 2025

PR 26-0284: Housing Authority Resident Empowerment Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2025

This resolution declares an emergency to amend the District of Columbia Housing Authority Act of 1999 and related laws. It revises the DCHA board structure, updates the public housing resident bill of rights, adjusts board stipends under the Merit Personnel Act, and updates terminology in the Confirmation Act. These changes ensure DCHA can prepare for a permanent board structure before the summer recess, following delays in finalizing the RENTAL Act of 2025.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingUpdates public housing resident bill of rights, strengthening tenant protections per resolution summary.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Tenant Rights

in committee · District of Columbia · Legislature Mar 26, 2026

B 26-0124: Utility Disconnection Protection Act of 2025

This bill prohibits electric and gas utilities from disconnecting service for vulnerable households during summer (May 15-September 15) and winter (November 1-February 29) months. It directly protects households with children under 18, seniors 65+, people with disabilities, pregnant individuals, or those receiving public assistance. Utilities must offer payment plans for eligible customers instead of requiring full payment to restore service, and limit reconnection fees. Additionally, utilities must report monthly data on unpaid bills and disconnections to the Public Service Commission.

Topics ✓ EnergySupports EnergyProtects vulnerable households from energy disconnection during critical seasons, ensuring access to essential utility services per consumer protection indicators.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingPrevents utility disconnections for vulnerable households during extreme weather, directly protecting tenant stability and preventing housing loss for at-risk populations like seniors and families.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Utility Regulation Tenant Rights

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

B 26-0141: Eviction Reform Amendment Act of 2025

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.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill explicitly protects tenants via court dismissal of weak cases, requires landlord documentation, and forces rent payments into court registry to prevent unjust evictions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Landlords Renters Tenant Rights

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

B 26-0416: Displacement Prevention Amendment Act of 2025

The Displacement Prevention Amendment Act of 2025 increases the maximum amount of the District's Schedule H tax credit for renters and homeowners in four specific census tracts (73.04, 74.04, 98.04, and 104) that have high poverty rates and housing cost burdens. It allows eligible residents in these areas to claim a tax credit up to twice the current maximum, helping them offset housing costs. This targeted relief primarily affects low-income households in Ward 8 - where nearly 58% of residents are rent-burdened - and other high-risk neighborhoods. The bill aims to prevent displacement by providing immediate financial stability for residents most vulnerable to eviction.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases tax credit max for low-income renters/homeowners in high-poverty areas, providing direct tax relief to offset housing costs.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingIncreases Schedule H tax credit up to double for low-income residents in high-poverty census tracts to offset housing costs, directly advancing affordable housing access.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Incentives Affordable Housing Renters Tenant Rights

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