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ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT
D.C. ACT 26-54
INTHE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
‘API 23, 2025
Torequire,onanemergencybasis,thatprovidersofcommercialorresidentialrentalpropertyofferandmaintainanyrentpaymentplanagreeduponbetweenMarch11,2020,andJuly25,2022,witheligibletenants,andtomaintaintheminimumrequirementsforsuchaplan.
BEITENACTEDBYTHECOUNCILDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA,Thatthisactmaybecitedasthe“TenantPaymentPlanPhasingEmergencyActof2025”.
Sec.2Tenantpaymentplans.
(a)FromMarch11,2020,throughJuly25,2022(“programperiod”),aprovidershallofferarent-payment-planprogram(“program”)foreligibletenants.Underitsprogram,aprovidershall:
(1)Makeapaymentplanavailabletoaneligibletenantforthepaymentofgrossrent,contractualincreasesagreedtoinacommerciallease’srentescalationtables,andanyotheramountsthatcomedueundertheleaseduringtheprogramperiodandpriortothecessationoftenancy(“coveredtimeperiod”),withaminimumtermlengthofoneyearunlessashorterpaymentplantermlengthisrequestedbytheeligibletenant;
(2)Waiveanyfee,interest,orpenaltythatarisesoutofan eligibletenantenteringinto@paymentplan;(3)Notreporttoacreditreportingagencyasdelinquenttherentsubjecttothepaymentplan;
(4)Providethataneligibletenantdoesnotloseanyrightsundertheleasebyenteringintothepaymentplan;and(5)Notifyalltenantsoftheavailability,terms,andapplicationprocessforits
program.(b)())Tenantsenteringintoapaymentplanshallberequiredtomakepaymentsinequalmonthlyinstallmentsforthedurationofthepaymentplanunlessadifferentpaymentscheduleisrequestedbythetenant.
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
(2)A providershallpermitatenantthathasenteredintoapaymentplantopayan
amountgreaterthanthemonthlyamountprovidedforinthepaymentplan.
(3)A providershallnotrequireorrequestatenanttoprovidealump-sum
payment undera payment plan.
(4)A providershallagreeinwritingtothetermsofa paymentplan.
(c)A providershallutilizeexistingproceduresor,ifnecessary,establishnewprocedures
toprovideaprocessbywhichaneligibletenantmayapplyforapaymentplan,whichmay
includerequiringthetenanttosubmitsupportingdocumentation.A providershallpermitan
applicationforapaymentplantooccuronlineorbytelephone.
(d)A providershallapproveeachapplicationforapaymentplansubmittedduringa
coveredtimeperiodinwhichan eligibletenant:
(1)Demonstratestotheproviderevidenceofa financialhardshipresulting
directlyorindirectlyfromtheCOVID-19publichealthemergency,regardlessofan existing
delinquencyor a futureinabilityto make rentalpayments establishedpriortothestartof the
COVID-19publichealthemergency;and
(2)Agreesinwritingtomakepaymentsinaccordancewiththepaymentplan.
(©)(1)A providerwhoreceivesanapplicationforapaymentplanshallretainthe
application,whetherapprovedordenied,foratleast3years.
(2)Uponrequestofthetenant,aprovidershallmakeanapplicationforapayment
planavailableto:
(A) For residentialtenants,theRent Administratorand theOfficeof the
Tenant Advocate;and
(B)Forcommercialtenants,theDepartmentofLicensingandConsumer
Protection.
(D(1)A residentialtenantwhoseapplicationforapaymentplanisdeniedmayfilea
‘writtencomplaintwiththeRent Administrator.The Rent Administratorshallforwardthe
complainttotheOfficeofAdministrativeHearingsforadjudication.
(2)A commercialtenantwhoseapplicationforapaymentplanisdeniedmayfile
awrittencomplaintwiththeDepartmentofLicensingandConsumerProtection.
(g)Tenant payment plansmay notcontainany waiverofthe tenant’srightsunderthe
tenant’sleaseorDistrictofColumbialaw.A tenantenteringintoatenantpaymentplanretains
therighttocontesttheamountofrentdueunlessthisisagreedtoinwritingbybothparties.
(h)Dutingtheprogramperiod,unlesstheproviderhasofferedarentpaymentplan
pursuanttothissectionandapprovedarentpaymentplanpursuanttosubsection(d)ofthis
section,thatprovidershallbeprohibitedfromfilinganycollectionlawsuitorevictionfor
nonpaymentofrent;provided,thatthetenantdoesnotdefaultonthetermsofthepaymentplan.
(i)Forthepurposesofthisact,theterm:
(1)“COVID-19publichealthemergency”meanstheemergenciesdeclaredinthe
Declarationof PublicEmergency(Mayor'sOrder2020-045)togetherwiththeDeclarationof
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
PublicHealthEmergency(Mayor'sOrder2020-046),bothdeclaredonMarch11,2020,
includinganyextensionofthosedeclaredemergencies.
(2)“Eligibletenant”meansatenantthat:
(A)Hasnotifiedaproviderofan inabilitytopayalloraportionoftherent
dueasaresultoftheCOVID-19publichealthemergency;
(B) Isnota franchiseeunlessthefranchiseisowned by aDistrictresident;
and
(C)Hasleasedfromaprovider:
(i)A residentialproperty;
(ii)Commercialretailspace;or
(iii)Commercialspacethatislessthan6,500squarefeetinsize
andthatcomprisesallorpartofacommercialbuilding,
(3)“Housing provider”means a personor entitywho isa residentiallandlord,
residentialowner, residentiallessor,residentialsublessor,residentialassignee,or theagentof
anyofthe foregoingoranyotherpersonreceivingorentitledtoreceivetherentsorbenefitsfor
theuseoroccupancyofanyresidentialrentalunitwithinahousingaccommodationwithinthe
District.
(4)“Non-housingprovider”meansapersonorentitywhoisanon-residentiallandlord,non-residentialowner,non-residentiallessor,non-residentialsublessor,non-residentialassignee,anon-residentialagentofa landlord,owner,lessor,sublessor,orassignee,oranyotherpersonreceivingorentitledtoreceiverentsorbenefitsfortheuseoroccupancyofacommercial
unit, (9)“Provider”meansahousingprovideroranon-housingprovider.
Sec.3,Fiscalimpactstatement.The Council adopts the fiscalimpact statement of the Budget Directoras the fiscalimpact
statementrequiredby section4aof the General LegislativeProcedures Act of 1975, approved
October 16,2006 (120 Stat.2038; D.C. OfficialCode § 1-301.47a).
Sec.4.Effectivedate.ThisactshalltakeeffectfollowingapprovalbytheMayor(orintheeventofvetobytheMayor,actionbytheCounciltooverridetheveto)andshallremainineffectfornolongerthan90days.asprovidedforemergencyactsoftheCounciloftheDistrictofColumbiainsection
ENROLLED ORIGINAL.
412(a)oftheDistrictofColumbiaHomeRuleAct,approvedDecember24,1973(87Stat.788;
D.C.OfficialCode§1-204.12(a)).
LeCouncilof the Districtof Columbia
UNSIGNED
MayorDistrictofColumbia
APRIL 22, 2025
[]ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[XTACTION
DqVOTEDATE
[X1VOICEVOTE
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
ABSENT
[JROLLCALLVOTE-Resuit
COUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA.
WASHINGTON,DC,20004
FinalReading
April1,2025
Approved
Felder
SE ee cara
[CouncilMember_| Aye|Nay|NV_|AB_|Rec|CounciiMember|Aye|Nay|NV|AB|Rec|CouncilMember|Aye|Nay|NV|AB|Rec
ChairmanMendelson]X Henderson x Pinto
Allen x LewisGeorge_| X R.White
Bonds x McDuffie x
Felder x Nadeau x
Frumin x Parker x
X-IndicateVote AB ~Absent NV-Present,NotVoting Rec-Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD