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B26-0076 • 2025

Certificate of Assurance Moratorium Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Certificate of Assurance Moratorium Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Housing
Enacted

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

Sponsor
R. White
Last action
2025-02-28
Official status
Enacted
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official bill metadata lists an expiration date of May 21, 2025, which may differ from the standard 90-day emergency period mentioned in Section 4 if the effective date was delayed.

Certificate of Assurance Moratorium Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

This law temporarily stops housing owners from requesting and the Mayor from issuing certificates needed to raise rents on rent-stabilized units in Washington, D.C.

What This Bill Does

  • Amends the Rental Housing Act of 1985 with an emergency provision due to congressional review.
  • Requires that no owner may request a certificate of assurance starting November 2, 2020.
  • Prohibits the Mayor from issuing any certificates of assurance for requests received during this time.
  • Remains in effect for no longer than 90 days after approval by the Mayor or Council override.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Owners of housing accommodations subject to District rent stabilization laws
  • The Office of the Mayor regarding certificate issuance

Terms To Know

Certificate of Assurance
A document required by law that allows a landlord to raise rents on certain stabilized units.
Moratorium
An official order or temporary stoppage of an activity, in this case the processing of rent increase requests.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law expires after a maximum period of 90 days following its effective date.
  • The text does not specify what happens to pending applications if they were submitted before November 2, 2020 but processed later.

Bill History

  1. 2025-02-28 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Act A26-0011 Published in DC Register Vol 72 and Page 002010, Expires on May 21, 2025

  2. 2025-02-20 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Enacted without Mayor's Signature with Act Number A26-0011, Expires on May 21, 2025

  3. 2025-02-20 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Returned from Mayor

  4. 2025-02-07 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Transmitted to Mayor, Response Due on Feb 24, 2025

  5. 2025-02-04 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Retained by the Council

  6. 2025-02-04 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  7. 2025-02-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0076 Introduced by Councilmember R. White at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Certificate of Assurance Moratorium Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2025

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT
.C.ACT 26-11
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
FEBRUARY 20, 2025
Toamendonanemergencybasis,duetocongressionalreview,theRentalHousingActof1985tomaintainamoratoriumonapplicationsfor,andtheMayor'sissuanceof,certificates
ofassuranceassociatedwithDistrictrentstabilizationlaws.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That thisactmay
be citedasthe“CertificateofAssuranceMoratorium CongressionalReview Emergency
Amendment Act of 2025”.
Sec.2.The RentalHousing Act of 1985, effectiveJuly 17,1985 (D.C. Law 6-10;D.C.
OfficialCode§42-3501.01etseq.),isamendedbyaddinganewsection221atoreadasfollows:“See.221a.Certificateofassurancemoratorium.“Notwithstandingtherequirementsofsection221,beginningonNovember2,2020,noownerofahousingaccommodationshallrequestacertificateofassurance,andtheMayorshallnotissueacertificateofassuranceforanyrequestreceived.”.
Sec.3.Fiscalimpactstatement.
‘TheCounciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementoftheBudgetDirectorasthefiscalimpact,statementrequiredbysection4aoftheGeneralLegislativeProceduresActof1975,approvedOctober16,2006(120Stat.2038;D.C.OfficialCode§1-301.47a).
Sec.4.Effectivedate.ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto),andshallremainineffectfornolongerthan
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
90 days,as providedforemergency actsof theCouncilof theDistrictof Columbia insection
412(a)of theDistrictof Columbia Home Rule Act,approvedDecember 24, 1973 (87 Stat.788;
D.C. OfficialCode § 1-204.12(a)).
\irman_
Councilofthe Districtof Columbia

PEBRUARY 20, 2025
COUNCILOF THE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004

DocketNo,626-0076
[ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[XTACTION

1Reading,CC
(x1VOTEDATE February4,2025
[x]VoIcEvoTE ‘Approved
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
[ ]ROLLCALL VOTE ~Result
CouncitMember Aye[Nay|Nv |AB| Rec|CouncilMember
CalmanMendelson)x Henderson|X Pino x
‘Alen x LewisGeorge| x R.White x
Bonds x McDute x
Feder x Nadeau x
Frumin x Parker x
X--IndicateVote [AB~Absent NV-Present,NotVoting Rec-Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD
a-S 3030SSecretarytoteGouna