Read the full stored bill text
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
AN ACT
D.C. ACT 26-85
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
SUNE 25, 2025
Toamend,onanemergencybasis,duetocongressionalreview,section8foftheHomelessicesReformActof2005torequirespecificdocumentationfromtenantsestablishing
lityforEmergencyRentalAssistanceFunds,toclarifythedefinitionofaqualifyingemergencysituation,andtorequiretheMayortoissueregulationsimplementingtheamendedprovisionsofthatsection;andtoamendsection501oftheRentalHousingActof1985topermitacourttoenterastay,ratherthanrequireacourttoenterastay,whenatenantsubmitsdocumentationtothecourtdemonstratingthatthetenanthasapendingEmergencyRentalAssistanceProgramapplication,torequirehousingproviderstorescheduleevictionsincertaincircumstancesinvolvingapprovedEmergencyRentalAssistanceProgramapplications,andtocreateanaffirmativedefenseinevictioncasesonthebasisofhousingproviders’noncompliancewiththeEmergencyRentalAssistanceProgramapplicationprocess.
BEITENACTEDBYTHECOUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOFCOLUMBIA,Thatthisactmaybecitedasthe“EmergencyRentalAssistanceProgramReformCongressionalReviewEmergencyAmendmentActof2025”.
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(jv)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“;and”andinsertingasemicotoninitsplace.(©)Sub-subparagraph(v)isamendedbystrikingthephrase“forpayment.”andinsertingthephrase“forpayment;and”initsplace.(D)Anewsub-subparagraph(vi)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
“(vi)Thenatureoftheemergencysituation;provided,thatifthenatureoftheemergencysituationprecludesdocumentation,anunswomdeclarationmadeunderpenaltyofperjuryexplainingboththeemergencysituationandthereasonwhytheapplicantunitdoesnotpossessdocumentationregardingthenatureoftheemergencysituationmaybeconsideredsufficientdocumentationofproofforthiselementofanapplication.”.(2)Paragraph(3)isrepealed.
(b)Subsection(€)(3)isamendedtoreadasfollows:“G)“Emergencysituation”meansasituationinwhichimmediateactionisnecessarytoavoidhomelessnessoreviction,tore-establisharentalhome,orotherwisetopreventdisplacementfromarentalhome,whichistheresultofanunforeseenorunusualevent,suchasthelossofajoborhighmedicalcosts,thatimpactstheapplicantunit’sabilitytopayrentandthatcannotberesolvedwithoutfinancialassistance.”.(©)A newsubsection(¢)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
“(€)TheMayorshallissueregulationsimplementingtheprovisionsofthissection.”.
Sec.3.The RentalHousing Act of 1985,effectiveJuly17,1985 (D.C. Law 6-10;D.C.
OfficialCode § 42-3505.01erseq.),isamended as follows:
(a)Section103 (D.C.OfficialCode § 42-3501.03)isamended as follows:
(1)A newparagraph(12A)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
“(12A)“ERAPprovider”meansavendorthatprocessesapplicationsforEmergency
RentalAssistanceFunds.”.
(2)A newparagraph(23A)isaddedtoreadasfollows:
“(23A)“Paymentinformation”meansdocumentsorinformationthatidentifytheowner ormanager ofa rentalunit,identifythebalanceofrentowed by a tenant,orfacilitatethe
payment oftheowner or manager ofa rentalunit,and thatarenecessarytoperfectan application
forEmergency RentalAssistanceFunds,which may includepersonalidentification,a W-9 form,
abasicbusinesslicense,proofof aSocialSecurityNumber,apropertymanagementagreement,orarentledger,butwhich shallnotincludethecontentof,orinformationassociatedwith,a
paymentplan.”.
(b)Section501 (D.C.OfficialCode § 42-3505.01)isamended toreadas follows:
(1)Subsection(r)isamended toreadas follows:
“()(1)Thecourtmaystayanyproceedingadjudicatingaclaimbroughtbyahousing
providertorecoverpossessionofa rentalunitfornonpaymentofrentif a tenantsubmits
documentationtothecourtdemonstratingthatheorshehasapendingEmergencyRental
AssistanceProgram(“ERAP”)application;provided,thatthecourtmaystayaproceedingunder
thissubsectiononlyonceduringthependencyofthecase.
“(2)Paragraph(1)of thissubsectionshallnot be construedtolimita court’s
discretiontoextendastay.
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
“(3)When an evictionbased solelyon a claim fornonpayment of renthas been
authorizedbythecourtandthetenantnotifiesthehousingprovider,nolaterthan48hourspriortothescheduleddateand timeof theeviction,thatthetenanthasan approvedERAP application
thatwouldpaythefullamountnecessarytoredeemthetenancy,thehousingprovidershallcanceltheeviction.Ifthehousingproviderthenreschedulestheeviction,thehousingprovidershallrescheduletheevictionfora dateno soonerthan3 weeks from theearlier-scheduled
evictiondate.
“(4)A housingproviderthatcancelsanevictionunderparagraph(3)ofthis
subsectionshallhave leavetofilean aliaswrit(“writ”),and no furtherleaveof courtshallbe
requiredforthenext-requestedissuanceofa writfollowingthecancellationoftheoriginally
scheduledeviction.Thisparagraphshallnotapplyifajudgmentispermanentlystayedbyatenant’sredemptionofa tenancy.”.
(2)New subsections(s)and(t)areaddedtoreadasfollows:
“(s)Inanymatteradjudicatingaclaimbroughtbyahousingprovidertorecoverpossessionofa rentalunitfornonpaymentofrentinwhichthetenantalleges,atorbeforeaninitialhearing,thatthehousingprovideriswithholdingpaymentinformationrequestedbyanERAP provider,thecourtmayorderthehousingprovidertocomplywithanypendingrequests
forthepaymentinformationfromanERAP provider.
*(O(1)Inanymatteradjudicatingaclaimbroughtbyahousingprovidertorecover
possessionofa rentalunitfornonpaymentofrentinwhichthecourtfinds,attrialorupontheresolutionofa dispositivemotionresolvingtheentirematter,thatthehousingproviderfailedtoprovidepaymentinformationrequestedbyanERAPproviderformorethan45daysafterreceivingarequestforthepaymentinformationfromanERAPprovider,thecourtmayorderthattheamountofrent thatwould havebeen redeemed by a successfulERAP applicationbe deemed
waivedandshallnotberecoverablebythehousingprovider.
*(2)Thecourtshallnotwaiverentunderparagraph(1)ofthissubsectionifthehousingprovidershows that:
“(A)Compliancewitharequestforpaymentinformationnecessaryto
perfectanERAPapplicationwasdelayedbyathirdpartynotunderthecontrolofthehousingprovider;
“(B) Good causeotherwiseexistsforthehousingprovider’snon-
compliance;or
“(C)The housingproviderhas,sincethedateofthe relevantrequestfor
payment information,receivedpayment from ERAP onbehalfof thetenant,
“(3)A waiverofrentunderparagraph(1)ofthissubsectionshallapplytoanyfutureproceedinginwhichthehousingproviderseeksfromthetenant:
“(A) The recoveryof possessionof the rentalunittherentforwhich was
waivedunderparagraph(1)ofthissubsection;or
“(B)A moneyjudgmentforthewaivedrent.
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
“(4)Nothinginthissubsectionshalllimitatenant’sabilitytoassertanydefensetoanoutstandingrentbalancesoughtbyahousingprovider.”.
Sec.4.Fiscalimpactstatement.
The Counciladoptsthefiscalimpactstatementof theBudget Directorasthe fiscalimpact
statementrequiredby section4aof theGeneralLegislativeProceduresAct of 1975,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)).
fairman
Councilof theDistrictof Columbia
Districtof'ColumbiaAPPROVED,
JUNE 25, 2025
[X]ITEMONCONSENTCALENDAR
[xacTion
[x]VOTEDATE
[x]VOICEVoTE
RECORDEDVOTEONREQUEST
‘ABSENT
[JROLLCALLVOTE-Resutt
COUNCILOFTHEDISTRICTOF COLUMBIA
WASHINGTON,DC,20004
FinalReading,CC
June3,2025
‘Approved
Pinto
SecretarytotheCk
[CouncitMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB[Rec|CounciMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB[Rec]CounciMember[Aye[Nay[NV[AB[Rec
CharmanMendelson|X Henderson x Pinto x
Alen | LewisGeorge_| x White x
Bonds x McDuffie x
Felder x Nadeau x
Frumin x Parker x
X-IndicateVote ‘AB~Absent NV-Present,NotVoting Rec-Recused
CERTIFICATIONRECORD