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COMMITTEE ON HOUSING
ROBERT C. WHITE, JR., CHAIR
COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Statement of Introduction
Lifesaving Intervention Empowering Neighborhoods (LIEN) Act of 2026
January 30th, 2026
Today, I am introducing the Lifesaving Intervention Empowering Neighborhoods (LIEN)
Act of 2026 with Councilmembers Janeese Lewis George and Zachary Parker. Too many tenants
in DC live with serious problems in their homes for far too long—pests, broken heat, and hazards
that owners ignore even after the city cites them. When violations drag on for months or years,
families suffer while negligent landlords treat fines as just another cost of doing business.
As of the end of FY 2024, the Department of Buildings’ public database showed about $56
million in unpaid housing condition fines, including $52 million that had not reached a final
order. That means many violations were never confirmed as valid by the Office of
Administrative Hearings, leaving them unable to be fined and enforced. A 2024 Committee of
the Whole report on the housing inspection process found that more than half of DOB’s Notices
of Infraction were mis-served, fewer than half of cited violations were ever verified as corrected,
and nearly 47% of open cases at the Office of Administrative Hearings had been pending for
more than 120 days. In 2025, one ownership group racked up 2,021 Notices of Infraction and
$2.29 million in fines across 81 properties. Another group was cited at 15 buildings with 486
violations, $546,606 in fines, and 299 affected units. At 5128 and 5134 Sheriff Road NE in
Deanwood, tenants lived for years with mountains of trash, rodents and bedbugs, severe mold,
leaks, and unsafe wiring before the Attorney General filed suit in April 2025. In May 2025, the
Superior Court ordered $6.8 million in relief for tenants in nine buildings in Wards 4 and 8 after
similar long-running conditions.
The LIEN Act gives the Department of Buildings a simple, powerful tool to change this
trajectory. It allows DOB to place a lien on a property when serious, clearly documented
violations are not corrected. By giving DOB authority to record a lien, the bill makes it harder
for chronic bad actors to ignore orders, sell or refinance without fixing problems, or walk away
from unpaid penalties. The goal is clear: if an owner will not fix dangerous conditions, DC can
attach real consequences to inaction and create strong incentives to make repairs. Tenants
deserve safe and healthy homes.
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Councilmember Janeese Lewis George Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr. 4
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Councilmember Zachary Parker 10
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A BILL 14
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 18
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To allow the Department of Buildings greater authority to record liens on real property, 22
including prior to the abatement of hazardous housing code violations. 23
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BE IT ENACTED by the Council of the District of Columbia, that this act may be cited 25
as the “Lifesaving Intervention Empowering Neighborhoods (LIEN) Act of 2026”. 26
Sec.2. Lien authority for housing violations. 27
(a) The Department of Buildings (“Department”) may record a lien against real property 28
when any of the following apply: 29
(1) The Department has issued a Notice of Infraction — Emergency and the 30
owner failed to correct the condition within the time stated, or immediate recordation is 31
necessary to protect occupants or the public; 32
(2) The Department has issued a Notice of Infraction designated by rule as 33
requiring immediate corrective action due to a health or safety risk and the owner failed to 34
correct within the time stated; 35
(3) The property has an uncured Class 1 violation; or 36
(4) There is an unpaid civil penalty arising from a housing violation after a final 37
order and the owner failed to pay within the demand period established by rule. 38
(b) The lien amount may include civil penalties assessed by the Department and 39
administrative costs established by rule that are related to the condition or violation described in 40
subsection (a). Interest may accrue at a rate established by rule. 41
(c) Before recordation, the Department shall serve a notice of intent to record a lien on 42
the owner by first-class mail and one additional method reasonably calculated to provide notice, 43
which may include certified mail, electronic mail where the owner has consented, or posting at 44
the property. The notice shall identify the property, the basis for lien under subsection (a), and 45
the amount to be recorded. Where immediate action is necessary to protect life or safety, the 46
Department may record a lien and serve the notice within 24 hours after recordation. 47
(d) An owner may petition the Office of Administrative Hearings within the time 48
established by rule to contest identity, arithmetic accuracy of the amount, whether the condition 49
qualifying under subsection (a)(1) through (3) has been corrected, or whether a penalty 50
referenced in subsection (a)(4) has been paid. The merits of any underlying violation may not be 51
re-litigated. Recordation is not stayed by the filing of a petition. 52
(e) A lien recorded under this section shall be released by the Department within 2 53
business days after verification of correction of the condition, payment of the recorded amount, 54
enrollment in and compliance with a Department payment plan for assessed penalties, or entry of 55
an order vacating the lien. 56
(f) A lien recorded under this section attaches to the real property upon recordation and 57
has the same force, effect, and priority as a real property tax lien. 58
(g) Nothing in this section limits any other remedy available to the District, including 59
referral to the Central Collection Unit or abatement under other law. 60
Sec. 3. Special assessments for District abatement. 61
(a) If the Department of Buildings (“Department”) performs abatement after an owner 62
fails to correct a violation within the time required by notice or order, the Department may 63
certify documented abatement costs to the Office of Tax and Revenue as a special assessment 64
against the property. 65
(b) A special assessment certified under this section shall be billed and collected in the 66
same manner and at the same time as real property taxes and shall constitute a lien on the 67
property with the same priority as a real property tax lien. 68
(c) The Department shall provide written notice to the owner of the certified amount with 69
an itemized statement of costs. Review is limited to identity, arithmetic accuracy, and whether 70
the Department has documented abatement at the subject property. The Office of Administrative 71
Hearings has jurisdiction as provided in section 6 of the Office of Administrative Hearings 72
Establishment Act of 2001, effective March 6, 2002 (D.C. Law 14-76; D.C. Official Code § 2-73
1831.03). 74
(d) Amounts collected under this section shall be deposited into an abatement fund 75
established by law and made available to the Department for future abatements. 76
Sec. 4. Conforming amendments. 77
(a) Section 6 of the Office of Administrative Hearings Establishment Act of 2001, 78
effective March 6, 2002 (D.C. Law 14-76; D.C. Official Code § 2-1831.03). is amended by 79
adding a new subsection (b-32) to read as follows: 80
“(b-32) This act shall apply to petitions filed under sections 2 and 3 of the Lifesaving 81
Intervention Empowering Neighborhoods (LIEN) Act of 2026, introduced on January 23, 2026 82
(Bill 26-XXX) ; provided, that jurisdiction is limited to the issues specified in those sections.”. 83
(b) Chapter 31 of Title 47 of the District of Columbia Official Code is amended by 84
adding a new section 47-3411 to read as follows: 85
“Sec. 47-3411. Authority to collect liens and special assessments. 86
The Office of Tax and Revenue shall be authorized to record, bill, collect, and release 87
liens and special assessments certified by the Department of Buildings (“Department”) under 88
sections 2 and 3 of the Lifesaving Intervention Empowering Neighborhoods (LIEN) Act of 2026, 89
introduced on January 23, 2026 (Bill 26-XXX), and to exchange data with the Department and 90
the Central Collection Unit for that purpose.”. 91
Sec. 5. Fiscal impact statement. 92
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement for this legislation. 93
Sec. 6. Effective date. 94
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor, a 30-day period of 95
Congressional review, and publication in the District of Columbia Register. 96