Rapid Re-Housing Reform Amendment Act of 2025

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Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie Chairman Phil Mendelson 2
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Councilmember Janeese Lewis George 6
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A BILL 10
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 13
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To amend the Homeless Services Reform Act of 2005 to reform the Rapid Re-Housing Program 16
to ensure that individuals and families do not pay more than 30% of their income toward 17
rent, to require the assessment of Rapid Re-Housing participants for the receipt of 18
permanent housing vouchers, to make case management services for Rapid Re-Housing 19
participants optional, and to establish eligibility and prioritization criteria for Targeted 20
Affordable Housing vouchers. 21
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 23
act may be cited as the “Rapid Re-Housing Reform Amendment Act of 2025”. 24
Sec. 2. The Homeless Services Reform Act of 2005, effective October 22, 2005 (D.C. 25
Law 16-35; D.C. Official Code § 4–751.01 et seq.) is amended as follows: 26
(a) The table of contents is amended by adding section designations for sections 32 and 27
33 to read as follows: 28
“Sec. 32. Rapid Re-housing Reform. 29
“Sec. 33. Targeted Affordable Housing Eligibility and Prioritization.”. 30
(b) Section 2 (D.C. Official Code § 4–751.01) is amended as follows: 31
(1) Paragraph (27C) is amended by striking the phrase “Rapid Re-Housing and 32
permanent supportive housing.” and inserting the phrase “permanent supportive housing and 33
targeted affordable housing.” in its place. 34
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(2) By adding a new paragraph (39A) to read as follows: 35
“(39A) “Targeted affordable housing” means a program that provides rental assistance 36
for an unrestricted period of time to assist individuals or families experiencing homelessness, or 37
at-risk of experiencing homelessness, in obtaining and maintaining permanent housing.”. 38
(c) Section 6(b)(4) (D.C. Official Code § 4–753.01(b)(4)) is amended to read as follows: 39
“(A) Rapid Re-Housing programs for the purpose of providing housing 40
relocation and stabilization services and time-limited rental assistance to help a homeless 41
individual or family move as quickly as possible into permanent housing and achieve stability in 42
that housing; or 43
“(B) Targeted affordable housing for the purposes of providing rental 44
assistance for an unrestricted period of time to assist individuals or families experiencing 45
homelessness, or at-risk of experiencing homelessness, to obtain and maintain permanent 46
housing; or 47
“(C) Permanent supportive housing for the purpose of providing eligible 48
individuals and families experiencing chronic homelessness or at risk of experiencing chronic 49
homelessness, with ongoing housing and supportive service.”. 50
(d) A new section 32 is added to read as follows: 51
“Sec. 32. Rapid Re-housing Reform. 52
“(a) An individual or a head of a household shall pay no more than 30% of their income 53
toward rent while participating in the Rapid Re-Housing Program. 54
“(b)(1)(A) No later than 6 months after an individual or family is determined to be 55
eligible for Rapid Re-Housing, the Mayor shall determine whether each individual or family is 56
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eligible for a permanent rental subsidy, including permanent supportive housing and targeted 57
affordable housing. 58
“(B) The Department shall share a determination of eligibility with the 59
individual or family within 5 business days of making a determination. 60
“(2)(A) For individuals or families already participating in Rapid Re-Housing that 61
the Department intends to exit from the program pursuant to § 4–754.36b, the Department shall 62
determine the individual or family’s eligibility for permanent supportive housing or targeted 63
affordable housing at least 3 months before the proposed exit date. 64
“(B) The Department shall share a determination of eligibility with the 65
individual or family within 5 business days of making a determination. 66
“(3)(A) The Department shall provide individuals or families determined to be 67
eligible for, or already participating in, Rapid Re-Housing with information on home ownership 68
programs, including the Home Purchase Assistance Program. 69
“(B) If an individual or family requests an application for a home 70
ownership program, the Department shall refer the individual or family to an appropriate 71
community-based organization within 5 business days 72
“(3) If an individual or family entering into or participating in Rapid Re-Housing 73
is determined to be eligible for permanent supportive housing or targeted affordable housing, the 74
individual or family shall not be exited from Rapid Re-Housing until the family receives a 75
voucher and is leased up with a housing provider who accepts the voucher; provided, that this 76
shall not apply to an individual or family who has sufficient income to cover the cost of a rental 77
unit they have secured in the District. For purposes of this paragraph, an individual or family 78
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does not have sufficient income to cover the cost of a rental unit if more than 30% of the 79
individual or head of households’ income would be used to pay rent. 80
“(c) Case management for individuals or families determined to be eligible for or 81
participating in Rapid Re-Housing shall be voluntary and available upon oral or written request; 82
provided, that an individual or an individual in a family deemed to be eligible for or participating 83
in Rapid Re-Housing who receives income through Temporary Assistance to Needy Families 84
shall not receive case management through Rapid Re-Housing. 85
(e) A new section 33 is added to read as follows: 86
“Sec. 33. Targeted Affordable Housing Eligibility and Prioritization. 87
“(a) Individuals or families who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or participating in 88
a Continuum of Care program shall be eligible for targeted affordable housing. 89
“(b) Individuals or families determined to be eligible for targeted affordable housing shall 90
be prioritized in the following order: 91
“(1) Individuals or families who will be exited from the Rapid Re-Housing 92
program and do not have sufficient income to cover the cost of a market rate rental unit of 93
appropriate size for the individual or family. 94
“(2)(A) Individuals or families in Rapid Re-Housing who are not eligible or 95
prioritized for permanent supportive housing and do not have sufficient income to cover the cost 96
of a rental unit of appropriate size for the participant or participant family. 97
“(B) Individuals or families in this category should be prioritized based on 98
the length of time that the participant has been in Rapid Re-Housing, with individuals or families 99
who have been in the program longer selected first. 100
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“(3) Emergency shelter residents who have previously participated in Rapid Re-101
housing but are not eligible or prioritized for permanent supportive housing and do not have 102
sufficient income to cover the cost of a rental unit of appropriate size for the individual 103
participant or participant family; and 104
“(4) All other eligible applicants. 105
“(c)(1) The Department shall accept applications for targeted affordable housing from 106
any participant in a Continuum of Care program in the form of oral or written request for 107
consideration. 108
“(2) The Department shall document any written or oral requests for targeted 109
affordable housing in the participant’s file. 110
“(d) The Department shall provide timely written notice of eligibility pursuant to § 4-111
754.33. 112
“(e) Individuals or families shall have the opportunity to appeal adverse action decisions 113
pursuant to § 4-753.41 and § 4-753.42. 114
“(f) For purposes of subsection (b) and (c) of this section, Continuum of Care 115
participants, including emergency shelter residents and individuals and families in Rapid Re-116
Rehousing, do not have sufficient income to cover the cost of a rental unit if more than 30% of 117
the individual or head of household’s income would be used to pay rent.”. 118
Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 119
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 120
impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 121
approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 122
Sec. 4. Effective date. 123
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This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 124
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as 125
provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 126
24, 1973, (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 127
Columbia Register. 128