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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 source material did not provide specific details on how rent adjustments are applied beyond the limits set for different categories of tenants.

Rent Stabilized Housing Inflation Protection Continuation Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

This act limits rent increases for certain types of rental units in Washington D.C. to protect tenants from high inflation.

What This Bill Does

  • Limits annual rent adjustments for general rent-stabilized units to the lesser of 6% or the CPI-W plus 2%, with a two-year limit of 12%
  • Caps rent increases for units leased by home and community-based services waiver providers at 4% annually, with a cumulative limit of 8% over two years
  • Restricts annual rent adjustments for elderly tenants or those with disabilities to the lesser of 4%, general adjustment, or Social Security cost-of-living increase, capped at 8% over two years
  • Requires landlords to refund any overpaid rent within 30 days if the rent increase is lower than originally notified

Who It Names or Affects

  • Landlords who own rent-stabilized units in Washington D.C.
  • Tenants living in rent-stabilized units, especially those with disabilities or elderly tenants
  • Home and community-based services waiver providers leasing units for their clients

Terms To Know

Rent Stabilization
A system that controls how much landlords can raise rent each year to protect tenants from high costs.
CPI-W
The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers, used to measure inflation.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This act is effective until May 4, 2025, after which it may need renewal or replacement.
  • It does not specify what happens if the rent increase limit is reached but tenants still face financial hardships.
  • The bill only applies to units in Washington D.C. and does not cover other areas.

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