District of ColumbiaB26-0352Council Period 26 (2025-2026)HouseWALLET

Robert F. Kennedy Campus Redevelopment Emergency Act of 2025

Sponsored By: Phil Mendelson (Democratic)

Signed by Governor

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

21 provisions identified: 13 benefits, 4 costs, 4 mixed.

Affordable campus homes for lower-income households

At least 30% of residential units across the Development Site must be affordable, measured across the project rather than each building. Half of those affordable units serve households earning no more than 60% of median family income. The other half serve households earning no more than 30%. Project documents set how long homes stay affordable, along with lottery and income-check rules. The District’s standard inclusionary zoning requirements do not apply at the site.

Small businesses get required project shares

Project construction and related professional services must follow District small and certified business rules. Certified businesses must provide at least 20% of project equity and 20% of development participation; specified debt and investor contributions are excluded from the equity calculation. Small businesses must receive 40% of the adjusted development budget in subcontracts, with a 50% goal. The location preference seeks at least 10% of participating small businesses in Wards 7, 8, 5, and 6, in that order. If too few qualified small businesses are available, other qualified certified businesses can fill the share, with the same location preference and reasonable efforts to keep small businesses significant participants.

Team funds benefits for District communities

The Team or an affiliate must invest at least $50 million over 30 years under the Community Benefits Agreement. Benefits cover jobs, campus access, youth education, health, the environment, safety, and cultural heritage. A Community Reinvestment Fund receives negotiated Team donations for agreement benefits and up to $2 million yearly in excess infrastructure funds. The excess funds target qualifying low-income census tracts in Wards 5, 6, 7, and 8, prioritizing the most affected communities. They support displacement prevention, housing stability, small businesses, community wealth, and public health; balances stay outside the General Fund, with continued spending subject to an approved budget and financial plan.

Stadium funding gets bonds and caps

District stadium construction spending is capped at $500 million; garage purchase spending is capped at $175 million for the District and $181 million for EventsDC. Infrastructure bonds cannot start before October 1, 2025: principal is capped at $759 million or the lesser amount needed to net $500 million. District parking bonds cannot start before October 1, 2031: principal is capped at $210 million or the lesser amount needed to net $175 million. EventsDC can issue bonds for Mayor-approved campus parking without Council submission, capped at $284 million or the lesser amount needed to net $181 million. District bond issuance and spending require section 6 preconditions; the RFK bonds use dedicated funds or approved security, not the District's general taxing power or credit.

Local residents get project hiring preferences

Project construction must follow First Source rules and make good-faith efforts for District residents to fill 51% of new hires. Ward 7 and Ward 8 residents get hiring preference for at least 20% of new project jobs. District residents must perform at least 10% of covered apprenticeship hours, with a 35% goal. Fines apply only for missing the 10% minimum, and the Developer must place a Team sales office, including senior leaders, in the District by the project-document deadline. These rules do not guarantee a job, apprenticeship placement, or wage level.

Investors get District bond tax exemption

RFK Campus bonds and their interest and income are exempt from District taxation. Money pledged or available to pay or secure the bonds is also exempt. Estate, inheritance, and gift taxes remain outside this exemption. The law does not establish a federal tax exemption through this provision.

Seat license buyers avoid sales tax

Buyers of Personal Seat Licenses sold at the stadium do not pay District sales tax on those purchases. The exemption lasts for the stadium lease between the District and Pro-Football LLC or its affiliate. The law does not state license prices or the amount each buyer saves.

Council receives quarterly campus compliance reports

The Washington Convention and Sports Authority can hire an independent consultant to monitor campus redevelopment. Monitoring covers compliance with the law, the Development and Financing Agreement, and related transaction documents. Beginning October 1, 2026, the Authority must report monitoring activities and compliance findings to the Council every three months.

Neighbors get campus green building standards

Project documents must require stadium construction, operations, and maintenance to be feasibly consistent with LEED Platinum v5 objectives. Nonresidential commercial construction must be feasibly consistent with LEED Gold v5 objectives. Residential construction must be feasibly consistent with LEED Silver v5 objectives. These are feasibility-based environmental objectives, not an unconditional certification requirement.

Campus developers get targeted rule exemptions

Covered Term Sheet agreements are exempt from District procurement and public-private partnership laws after section 6 bond and spending preconditions are met. Listed campus government-land uses are exempt from zoning until each structure gets its final occupancy certificate. Those uses include the NFL stadium, accessory offices and parking, and a public sports and recreation facility. The stadium, Stadium District Parcel, and Plaza District Commercial Parcel form an entertainment area eligible for designated sign permits. Sign permits still must meet the applicable permit requirements.

Campus money supports local transit improvements

A Mayor-run fund receives up to $20 million yearly in excess campus infrastructure funds for transit serving RFK Campus. Money can support Metrorail, Metrobus, stations, related infrastructure, and operating costs. Road work qualifies only when it directly improves public-transit access. The next $2 million goes to the Community Reinvestment Fund, and amounts above $22 million go to the General Fund. Transit fund balances do not revert to the General Fund; continued spending requires an approved budget and financial plan.

District keeps non-event parking revenue

The District gets all net parking revenue outside Stadium Event Days, subject to reserves for capital improvements. The Developer and District must sign at least one agreement for operating the parking facilities. That agreement must include a capital improvements plan. The law does not set parking prices or state how much revenue the District receives.

Ticket taxes fund debt and upkeep

A parking facilities fund receives existing taxes on stadium event tickets and charges, including penalties and interest. The Mayor can pledge it for parking bonds; it pays bond debt and required reserves without setting a new tax rate. After bond issuance and the finance chief's payment and reserve determination, excess money moves to the Stadium Maintenance Fund. That fund receives excess stadium revenues for repairs, maintenance, and capital costs, and the Developer must cover costs above its available balance. Both funds stay outside the General Fund, with continued spending subject to an approved budget and financial plan.

Stadium leases receive property tax breaks

Covered stadium and standalone parking property receives real property and possessory-interest tax exemptions. These exemptions last while the authorized leases between the District and Pro-Football LLC or its affiliate remain in effect. Qualifying deeds between those parties under the authorized leases are also exempt from deed recordation tax. The deed exemption covers property and improvements where the stadium or its standalone parking facilities are or will be built. These breaks do not apply to all campus property, and the law does not state total tax savings.

Higher taxes for stadium event buyers

Buyers pay an extra 4.25% tax on Stadium public-event tickets already subject to District sales or use tax. The extra tax also covers otherwise taxable goods and services sold at the Stadium. Food, drinks, and motor-vehicle parking charges are excluded from this extra tax.

Developer faces ten construction stage deadlines

Commercial development has ten separate stage targets, measured in square feet. Stages 1–4 require 415,000 by year 3; 567,000 by year 5; 342,000 by year 6; and 342,000 by year 7. Stages 5–10 require 735,000 by year 8; 885,000 by year 9; 735,000 by year 10; 735,000 by year 11; 960,000 by year 12; and 735,000 by year 13. The clock generally starts when the applicable zoning order takes effect; a court challenge generally shifts that start one year later. If design review or further processing is required, stage one's clock starts when the order approving it takes effect.

Earlier developer rent resets for delays

Missing a development-stage deadline moves the Developer’s commercial lease reset to fair market rent earlier. Each missed deadline advances the reset by one year, adjusted for the share of required square footage left unfinished. Total acceleration is capped at 10 years. Exceptions cover force majeure events and federal review delays caused solely by the reviewing agency. This changes the Developer’s lease, not household rents directly.

Fewer subsidy options for campus developers

The District cannot provide additional tax breaks or subsidies for development of the remainder of the Development Site. The ban does not restrict tax-exempt bond financing, federal low-income housing tax credits, or housing vouchers for the site. This rule does not itself change household taxes or create a household benefit.

Campus review exemptions retain some safeguards

Heritage Trees on the development site can be removed without the usual section 104a requirements, but each removal owes the special-tree-rate fee. This waiver excludes the Anacostia Commons riparian area. Stadium construction, related utilities, and site preparation are exempt from the specified historic-preservation review. The energy and environment department can grant campus environmental exemptions, which must go to the Council for review. An exemption is deemed approved without a disapproval resolution within 30 days; introducing one adds 30 days to disapprove, with Council recess days excluded from both periods.

Neighbors get traffic plans, parking enforcement

The District Department of Transportation must plan stadium travel and parking to limit harm to nearby neighborhoods. It must work with the Developer and neighborhood commissions 7F, 7D, 6A, 6B, and 5D. The plan covers transit riders, drivers, ride sharers, walkers, and cyclists. The department must also require parking-meter and residential-permit enforcement near the stadium, including Sundays and holidays.

Mayor gets limited campus leasing powers

The Mayor can lease the development site, sell Stadium Seat Rights to the Developer, and grant campus easements under the transaction framework. Leases and easements require section 6 bond-issuance and spending preconditions; the seat-right sale has no stated equivalent condition. The District can lease property under its jurisdiction without owning it outright, but the Mayor's referenced parcel authority is restricted for the February 5, 2025 transfer plat, including streets that may close. The Mayor can transfer stadium and parking ownership and seat-right sales authority to a District entity; seat-right revenue must fund only Term Sheet purposes. This emergency law took effect upon mayoral approval or Council override and lasts no more than 90 days.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

Phil Mendelson
Democratic • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 11 • No: 2

House vote • 9/17/2025

Final Reading