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B26-0001 • 2025

Rent Stabilized Housing Inflation Protection Continuation Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Rent Stabilized Housing Inflation Protection Continuation Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Housing Labor
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
R. White
Last action
2025-02-07
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official text states this is an emergency act effective for no longer than 90 days, but also notes it expires on May 4, 2025; the relationship between the 90-day rule and the specific expiration date requires further clarification from implementing regulations.

Rent Stabilized Housing Inflation Protection Continuation Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

This emergency law sets temporary limits on how much rent can increase for certain stabilized housing units in Washington, D.C., from July 1, 2023, through April 30, 2025.

What This Bill Does

  • Limits the annual rent adjustment for most stabilized units to the lesser of 6% or a specific inflation measure plus 2%, with a total cap of 12% over two years.
  • Caps the annual rent increase at the lesser of 4% or the general adjustment limit for units leased by home and community-based services waiver providers, with an 8% limit over two years.
  • Restricts rent increases to no more than 4%, the general adjustment amount, or Social Security cost-of-living changes for elderly tenants or those with disabilities, capping the total at 8% over two years.
  • Requires landlords to repay any excess rent collected under previous notices if it exceeds these new legal limits within 30 days of payment or by August 1, 2023.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Tenants living in rent-stabilized housing units in the District of Columbia.
  • Landlords and property owners who manage rent-stabilized units.
  • Home and community-based services waiver providers that lease or co-lease these units.

Terms To Know

Rent Stabilization
A system where the government limits how much a landlord can raise rent each year for certain apartments.
CPI-W
The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, which measures changes in prices paid by workers.
Home and Community-Based Services Waiver Provider
An organization that provides care services to people with disabilities or elderly individuals so they can live at home instead of in a facility.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This law is an emergency act and remains effective for no longer than 90 days after approval unless extended.
  • The specific dollar amounts landlords must repay depend on the difference between what was charged under old notices and these new limits.

Bill History

  1. 2025-02-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0003 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 001133, Expires on May 04, 2025

  2. 2025-02-04 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  3. 2025-02-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Signed by the Mayor and Enacted with Act Number A26-0003, Expires on May 04, 2025

  4. 2025-01-23 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Feb 06, 2025

  5. 2025-01-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

  6. 2025-01-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  7. 2025-01-06 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0001 Introduced by Councilmember R. White at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Rent Stabilized Housing Inflation Protection Continuation Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT
D.C. ACT 26-3
INTHE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA.
FEBRUARY 3, 2025
To amend, on an emergency basis,the Rental Housing Act of 1985 to limitfor2 yearsthe
annualadjustmentofgeneralapplicabilityoftherentchargedinrentstabilizedunitsto
thelesserof6%ortheStandardMetropolitanStatisticalAreaConsumerPriceIndexfor
UrbanWageEarnersandClericalWorkers(CPI-W)plus2%witha2-yearcumulative
limitof12%,tolimitfor2yearstheannualadjustmentoftherentchargedinrent
stabilizedunitsleasedorco-leasedbyahomeandcommunity-basedserviceswaiver
providerthelesserof4%ortheadjustmentofgeneralapplicabilitywitha2-year
cumulativelimitof8%,andtolimitfor2yearstheannualadjustmentintheamountof
rentchargedwhileaunitisoccupiedbyanelderlytenantortenantwithadisabilityto
thelesserof4%,theadjustmentofgeneralapplicability,orthemostrecentannualcost-
of-livingadjustmentofbenefitsforsocialsecurityrecipientswitha2-yearcumulative
limitof 8%.
BE ITENACTED BY THE COUNCIL DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That thisactmay be
citedasthe“RentStabilizedHousing InflationProtectionContinuationEmergency Amendment
Actof2025”.

Sec.2.TitleIloftheRentalHousingActof1985,effectiveJuly17,1985(D.C.Law6-10;
D.C.OfficialCode§42-3502.01efseq.)isamendedasfollows:(a)Section208(D.C.OfficialCode§42-3502.08)isamendedasfollows:(1)Subsection(h)()isamendedasfollows:(A)Subparagraph(A)isamendedasfollows:(i)Theexistingtextisdesignatedassub-subparagraph(i).
(ii)A newsub-subparagraph(ii)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
(ii)Notwithstandingtheprovisionsofsub-subparagraph(i)ofthis,
subparagraph,adjustmentsthattakeeffectfromJuly1,2023,throughApril30,2025,shallnot
exceedthecurrentallowableamountofrentchargedfortheunit,plustheadjustmentofgeneral
applicabilityplus2%,takenasapercentageofthecurrentallowableamountofrentcharged;

ENROLLED ORIGINAL
provided,thatthetotaladjustmentshallnotexceed6%;".
(B)Subparagraph(C)isamendedasfollows:
(j)Theexistingtextisdesignatedassub-subparagraph(i).
(ii)A newsub-subparagraph(ii)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
“Gi)Notwithstandingsub-subparagraph(i)ofthissubparagraph,
adjustmentsthattakeeffectfromJuly1,2023,throughApri]30,2025,shallnotexceedthecurrent
allowableamountofrentchargedfortheunitplusthelesserof4% ortheadjustmentofgeneral
applicabilityiftheunitisleasedorco-leasedbyahomeandcommunity-basedserviceswaiver
provider.”,
(2)Newsubsections(i)and(j)areaddedtoreadasfollows:
“()(1)Notwithstandingsection904(b),anynoticesofrentincreasesissuedpursuantto
subsection(h)(2)ofthissectionforwhichtherentincreaseshallbeeffectiveonorafterJuly1,
2023,maybere-noticedwithlessthan30days’noticeiftherentincreaseislowerthantherent
increaseintheoriginalnotice.”.
“(2)Anypaymentofrentinexcessofthelegalallowablerentchargedthatwas
made inaccordancewithnoticesofrentincreasesissuedpriortotheeffectivedateofthisactshall
berepaidtothepayerwithin30daysafteroverpaymentorbyAugust1,2023,whicheverislater.
“(j)Notwithstandingsubsection(h)(2)ofthissection,thetotalamountofadjustmentsfrom
May1,2023,throughApril30,2025,shallnotexceedthelegalrentchargedonApril30,2023,for
theunitplus:
“(1)8%,iftheunitisoccupiedbyanelderlytenantortenantwithadisability,orif
theunitisleasedorco-leasedbyahomeandcommunity-basedserviceswaiverprovider;or
“(2)12%,iftheunitisoccupiedbyanyothertenant.”.
(b)Section224(D.C.OfficialCode§42-3502.24)isamendedbyaddinganewsubsection
(a-1)toreadasfollows:
“(a-1)Notwithstandingsection208(h)orsubsection(a)ofthissection,anadjustmentthat
takeseffectfromJuly1,2023,throughApril30,2025,intheamountofrentchargedwhileaunitis
occupiedbyanelderlytenantortenantwithadisability,withoutregardtoincome,shallnotexceed
therentchargedfortheunit,plustheleastof:
“(1)Theadjustmentofgeneralapplicabili
“(2)Themostrecentannualcost-of-livingadjustmentofbenefitsforsocialsecurity
recipientsestablishedpursuanttosection215(j)oftheSocialSecurityAct,approvedAugust28,1950(64Stat.506;42U.S.C.§415(i));or
“(3)4% oftherentcharged.”.

Sec.3.Applicability.ThisactshallapplyasofJanuary12,2025.
Sec.4,Fiscalimpactstatement.
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approved
October16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§1-301.47a).
Sec.5.Effectivedate.ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto),andshallremainineffectfornolongerthan90days,asprovidedforemergencyactsoftheCounciloftheDistrictofColumbiainsection
412(a)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.788;D.C. OfficialCode § 1-204.12(a)).
Ili Jee—‘hairman
Councilof theDistrictof Columbia

Districtof Columbia
APPROVED
FEBRUARY 3, 2025

DocketNo.826-0001
[]ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[XTACTION
DXVOTEDATE
VOICEVOTE
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
[JROLLCALLVOTE-Result
COUNCILOF THEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004
FinalReading
January7,2025
‘Approved

CouncitMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB[Rec|CounciMember[Aye[Nay|NV[AB[Rec|CounciMember[Aye|Nay|NV[AB[Rec
ChairmanMendelson|X Henderson__|X Pinto
‘Allen x LewisGeorge_| X R.White
Bonds x MeDutie x White x
Felder x Nadeau x
Frumin x Parker x |
X-IndicateVote AB - Absent NV - Present,NotVoting ___Ree -Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD ) 7 & - ys
‘SeorelarytotheCound