WASHINGTON, DC — The Council’s Committee on Housing will hold a markup of the Mayor’s Rebalancing Expectations for Neighbors, Tenants, and Landlords (RENTAL) Act of 2025, a major legislative proposal that seeks to reshape how the District governs rental housing, eviction procedures, and tenant protections. While the RENTAL Act includes important goals around housing system modernization, the Committee, under the leadership of Councilmember Robert White, is advancing targeted amendments that respond directly to gaps in the bill and the urgent needs of residents across the city. The pending legislation reflects a housing ecosystem under stress, where immediate interventions are needed to prevent collapse, preserve gains, and rebalance the power and expectations between residents, landlords, and government.
“We are not here to pass policy without scrutiny. The Mayor’s bill raised serious due process concerns, threatened the integrity of the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act, and lacked economic data justifying significant changes to the housing ecosystem. Our Committee stepped in to fill in the gaps, restore balance, and protect the housing ecosystem that residents rely on.”
The Committee’s amendments respond to that reality. They preserve public safety priorities while strengthening due process, allowing courts to move quickly in cases involving violent crime charges, not merely arrests, and giving tenants the ability to present reasonable defenses, such as cooperation with law enforcement or lack of knowledge. Instead of imposing unworkable timelines that the Superior Court itself has warned against, the Committee maintains a fair eviction notice period, ensures proper service of notices, and gives judges the discretion they need to manage cases based on substance rather than technicalities. These changes avoid further strain on a court system already burdened by judicial vacancies.
On the issue of tenant purchase rights, the Committee is rebalancing TOPA to fulfill its original legislative purpose: preserving affordable housing, preventing displacement, and ensuring residents, especially those in aging buildings, can exercise meaningful ownership opportunities. More than 94 percent of TOPA transactions occur in properties built before 1978, and the vast majority involve long-term tenants vulnerable to speculative pressure. The Committee’s amendments ensure that TOPA remains a tool for equitable reinvestment, not bureaucratic stagnation. By granting exemptions only when new long-term affordability covenants are added, the Committee ensures that sales move forward efficiently while preserving tenant protections and deepening affordability. This approach maintains the spirit of the law without creating unnecessary delays. TOPA should be a pathway, not a barrier.
The Committee also strengthens public oversight. Under the proposed amendments, land dispositions and development programs would be subject to greater transparency, ensuring the Council and residents have access to information such as sale price, renovation scope, and building-level plans. This is critical for long-term accountability and trust in public-private housing deals.
Finally, the Committee proposes a restructured DCHA STAR Board that brings together professional expertise and lived experience. The revised structure ensures public housing residents, voucher holders, and ethical housing developers have real decision-making power. It also codifies key resident protections and modernizes oversight tools based on lessons learned from the District’s recent financial audits.
A full list of proposed amendments will be made available following the Committee’s action.