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ENROLLED ORIGINAL,
AN ACT
D.C. ACT 26-74
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
MAY 28, 2025
‘Toamendsection8foftheHomelessServicesReformActof2005torequirespecificdocumentationfromtenantsestablishingeligibilityforEmergencyRentalAssistanceFunds,toclarifythedefinitionofaqualifyingemergencysituation,andtorequiretheMayortoissueregulationsimplementingtheamendedprovisionsofthatsection;andtoamendsection501oftheRentalHousingActof1985topermitacourttoenterastay,ratherthanrequireacourttoenterastay,whenatenantsubmitsdocumentationtothecourtdemonstratingthatthetenanthasapendingEmergencyRentalAssistanceProgramapplication,torequirehousingproviderstorescheduleevictionsincertaincircumstancesinvolvingapprovedEmergencyRentalAssistanceProgramapplications,andtocreateanaffirmativedefenseinevictioncasesonthebasisofhousingproviders”noncompliancewiththeEmergencyRentalAssistanceProgramapplicationprocess.
BE ITENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA, Thatthis
actmay be citedasthe“Emergency RentalAssistanceProgram Reform Amendment Actof 2025”.
Sec.2.Section8foftheHomelessServicesReformActof2005,effectiveMarch10,2023(D.C.Law24-287;D.C.OfficialCode§4-753.08),isamendedasfollows:(a)Subsection(a)isamendedasfollows:
(1)Paragraph(2)(A)isamendedasfollows:(A)Thelead-inlanguageisamendedtoreadasfollows:“(2\(A)ToqualifyforEmergencyRentalAssistanceFunds,anapplicantunitshallberequiredtodocument:”.(B)Sub-subparagraph(iv)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“;and”andinsertingasemicoloninitsplace.(C)Sub-subparagraph(v)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“forpayment.”andinsertingthephrase“forpayment;and”initsplace.(D)A newsub-subparagraph(vi)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
“(vi)Thenatureoftheemergencysituation;provided,thatifthenatureoftheemergencysituationprecludesdocumentation,anunsworndeclarationmadeunder
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
penaltyofperjuryexplainingboththeemergencysituationandthereasonwhytheapplicantunitdoesnotpossessdocumentationregardingthenatureoftheemergencysituationmaybeconsideredsufficientdocumentationofproofforthiselementof an application.”.
(2)Paragraph(3)isrepealed.
(b)Subsection(4)isamendedasfollows:
(1)Paragraph(3)isamendedtoreadasfollows:“(3)“Emergency situation”means asituationinwhich immediateactionis
necessarytoavoidhomelessnessoreviction,tore-establisha rentalhome, orotherwiseto
preventdisplacementfrom a rentalhome, which istheresultofan unforeseenor unusualevent,
suchasthelossof ajob orhighmedicalcosts,thatimpactstheapplicantunit’sabilitytopay rent
and thatcannotbe resolvedwithoutfinancialassistance.”.
(2)A newparagraph(3A)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
(c)A newsubsection(e)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
“(@)The Mayor shallissueregulationstoimplement theprovisionsofthis section.”.
Sec.3.The RentalHousingAct of 1985,effectiveJuly17,1985 (D.C,Law 6-10;D.C.
OfficialCode § 42-3501.01etseg.),isamended asfollows:
(a)Section103 (D.C.OfficialCode § 42-3501.03)isamended asfollows:
(1)A newparagraph(12A)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
“(12A)“ERAPprovider”meansavendorthatprocessesapplicationsforEmergencyRentalAssistanceFund:
(2)A newparagraph(23A)isaddedtoreadasfollows
“(23A) “Payment information”means documents orinformationthatidentifythe
ownerormanagerofa rentalunit,identifythebalanceofrentowed byatenant,orfacilitatethe
paymentofthe owner or manager ofa rentalunit,and thatarenecessarytoperfectan application
forEmergency RentalAssistanceFunds,which may includepersonalidentification,a W-9 form,
abasicbusinesslicense,proofofa SocialSecurityNumber,apropertymanagementagreement,orarent ledger,butwhich shallnotincludethecontentof,or informationassociatedwith,a
paymentplan.”.
(b)Section501 (D.C.OfficialCode § 42-3505.01)isamended asfollows:
(1)Subsection(1)isamendedtoreadasfollows:“(O(1)Thecourtmaystayanyproceedingadjudicatingaclaimbroughtbyahousingprovidertorecoverpossessionofa rentalunitfornonpaymentofrentif a tenantsubmits
documentationtothecourtdemonstratingthathe orshehasa pendingEmergencyRental
AssistanceProgram(“ERAP”)application;provided,thatthecourtmaystayaproceedingunderthissubsectiononlyonceduringthependencyofthecase.
“(2)Paragraph(1)ofthissubsectionshallnotbeconstruedtolimitacourt'sdiscretiontoextenda stay.
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
“(3)When an evictionbasedsolelyon a claim fornonpaymentof rent hasbeen
authorizedbythecourtandthetenantnotifiesthehousingprovider,nolaterthan48hourspriortothescheduleddateand timeoftheeviction,thatthetenanthas an approvedERAP application
thatwouldpaythefullamountnecessarytoredeemthetenancy,thehousingprovidershallcanceltheeviction.If thehousingproviderthenreschedulestheeviction,thehousingprovider
shallrescheduletheevictionfora dateno soonerthan3 weeks from theearlier-scheduled
evictiondate,
“(4)A housingproviderthatcancelsanevictionunderparagraph(3)ofthissubsectionshallhave leavetofilean aliaswrit(“writ”),and no furtherleaveof courtshallbe
requiredforthenext-requestedissuanceofa writfollowingthecancellationoftheoriginallyscheduledeviction.Thisparagraphshallnotapplyif'ajudgmentispermanentlystayedbyatenant'sredemptionof a tenancy.”.
(2)New subsections(s)and (t)areadded toreadasfollows:
“(s)Inanymatteradjudicatingaclaimbroughtbyahousingprovidertorecoverpossessionofa rentalunitfornonpayment ofrentinwhich thetenantalleges,atorbeforean
initialhearing,thatthehousingprovideriswithholdingpaymentinformationrequestedbyanERAPprovider,thecourtmayorderthehousingprovidertocomplywithanypendingrequestsforthepaymentinformationfromanERAPprovider.
“(Q(1)Inanymatteradjudicatingaclaimbroughtbyahousingprovidertorecoverpossessionofa rentalunitfornonpaymentofrentinwhichthecourtfinds,attrialorupontheresolutionofadispositivemotionresolvingtheentirematter,thatthehousingproviderfailedtoprovidepaymentinformationrequestedbyanERAPproviderformorethan45daysafterreceivingarequestforthepaymentinformationfromanERAP provider,thecourtmayorderthattheamountofrentthatwouldhavebeenredeemedbyasuccessfulERAP applicationbedeemedwaivedandshallnotberecoverablebythehousingprovider.*(2)Thecourtshallnotwaiverentunderparagraph(1)ofthissubsectionifthehousingprovidershowsthat:
“(A)CompliancewitharequestforpaymentinformationnecessarytoperfectanERAPapplicationwasdelayedbyathirdpartynotunderthecontrolofthehousingprovider;
“(B)Goodcauseotherwiseexistsforthehousingprovider'snon-compliance;or
“(C)Thehousingproviderhas,sincethedateoftherelevantrequestforpaymentinformation,receivedpaymentfromERAPonbehalfofthetenant.“(3)Awaiverofrentunderparagraph(1)ofthissubsectionshallapplytoanyfatureproceedinginwhichthehousingproviderseeksfromthetenant:“(A)Therecoveryofpossessionoftherentalunittherentforwhichwaswaivedunderparagraph(1)ofthissubsection;or“(B)A moneyjudgmentforthewaivedrent.
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
“(4)Nothinginthissubsectionshalllimitatenant’sabilitytoassertanydefensetoanoutstandingrentbalancesoughtbyahousingprovider.”.
Sec.4,Fiscalimpactstatement.TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementinthecommitteereportasthefiscalimpactstatementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approvedOctober16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§ 1-301.47a).
Sec.5.Effectivedate.ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto)anda30-dayperiodofcongressionalreviewasprovidedinsections602(c)(1)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.813;D.C.OfficialCode§1-206.02(c)(1)).
‘hairman
Councilof theDistrictof Columbia
Districtof Columbia
APPROVEDMAY 28, 2025
COUNCILOF THEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004
[LIITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR,
[XJACTION FirstReading
(X]VOTEDATE ‘April,2025
[x1voicevore ‘Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
‘ABSENT
[ROLLCALLVOTE—Result
‘CouncMember[Aye[NayNv[AB[Rec|CounciMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB[Rec]CounciMember[Aye[NayChairmanMendelson]X Henderson Pinto
‘Allen LewisGeorge| x R.White
Bonds MeDutfie
Felder Nadeau x
Frumin x Parker
X-IndicateVote ‘AB~Absent NY-Present,NotVoting Rec-Recused CERTIFICATIONRECORD
= =Secretca Some
DocketNo,826-0046,
[]ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[DdACTION FinalReading
[DDVoTEDATE May6,2025
[DgVOICEvoTe ‘Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST LewisGeorge
ABSENT
[JROLLCALLVOTE~Resutt
CouncitMember[Aye[NayNv[AB[Rec|CounciMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB|Rec|CounciMember[Aye[Nay
‘ChairmanMendelson)x Henderson x Pinto
Allen x LewisGeorge x R.White
Bonds x McDuffie
Felder x Nadeau
Frumin x Parker
X-IndicateVote AB~Absent NV--Present,NotVoting Rec-Recused
= ) CERTIFICATIONRECORD
yo cenyToeCounc