District of Columbia Administrative Code

8100 INTRODUCTION 8100.1 Section 8100 discusses administrative policies and practices that are relevant to the activities covered in this ACOP. The policies are discussed in seven (7) parts as described below: Section 8101 describes DCHA’s policies for establishing and revising u…

8101 SETTING UTILITY ALLOWANCES 8101.1 [RESERVED] 8101.2 [RESERVED] 8101.3 DCHA furnishes utilities for DCHA-owned and operated public housing properties. 8101.4 DCHA will maintain a record that documents the basis on which utility allowances and scheduled surcharges are establis…

8102 ESTABLISHING FLAT RENTS 8102.1 [RESERVED] 8102.2 [RESERVED] 8102.3 For areas where HUD has not determined a SAFMR or an unadjusted rent, DCHA will set flat rents at no less than eighty percent (80%) of the FMR or apply for an exception flat rent. 8102.4 [RESERVED] 8102.5 [RE…

8103 FAMILY DEBTS TO DCHA 8103.1 Families are required to reimburse DCHA if they were charged less rent than required because the family either underreported or failed to report income. DCHA will determine retroactive rent amount as far back as DCHA has documentation of family un…

8104 [RESERVED] 8104.1 [RESERVED] 8104.2 [RESERVED] SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 73 DCR 007351 (May 15, 2026). District of Columbia Municipal Regulations Housing 14 DCMR § 8104 AUTHORITY: DC-DCMR District of Columbia Housing Authority Act of 1999, effective May 9, 2000 (…

8105 RECORD KEEPING 8105.1 DCHA will maintain records as follows: DCHA will keep at least the last three (3) years of the Form HUD-50058 and supporting documentation, and for at least three (3) years after end of participation all documents related to a family’s eligibility, tena…

8106 REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR CHILDREN WITH ELEVATED BLOOD LEAD LEVEL 8106.1 DCHA will provide the public health department written notice of the address of any child identified as having an elevated blood lead level. 8106.2 DCHA will provide written notice of the address of a …

8107 VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT (VAWA): NOTIFICATION, DOCUMENTATION, AND CONFIDENTIALITY 8107.1 The Violence against Women Reauthorization Act of 2022 (VAWA) provides special protections for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking who are public…

8300 PAYMENT STANDARD AMOUNT 8300.1 Fair Market Rents. HUD publishes annually the fair market rents for each market area in the United States. (a) DCHA uses the fair market rent published by HUD annually for the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Statistical Area. (b) The Fair Market …

8301 REASONABLE RENT TO OWNER 8301.1 Lease Approval. DCHA may not approve a lease unless it determines that: (a) The initial gross rent does not exceed the reasonable rent as determined by DCHA in accordance with this Chapter; and (b) The family portion of the rent does not excee…

8302 HOUSING ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS FOR ASSISTED HOUSEHOLDS 8302.1 Applicable Payment Standard. The Payment Standard, except in the case of enhanced vouchers, for each Household is the LOWER of: (a) The payment standard for the household unit size and composition as set under Sectio…

8303 FAMILY SHARE OF RENT 8303.1 Family Share of Payment. The family share of the gross rent stated in the lease is calculated by subtracting the amount of the monthly housing assistance payment from the gross rent. The family must pay the difference between the maximum housing a…

8304 RENT INCREASES TO OWNER 8304.1 Written Request Required. Owners may request a rent increase no later than ninety (90) days prior to any Family reexamination month. The request must be in writing. 8304.2 Amount of Rent Adjustment Rent. The amount of the rent adjustment to the…

8500 PARTICIPANT HOUSEHOLD MOVES 8500.1 Prerequisites to a Move. A Participant Household may be issued a transfer voucher entitling them to move to another unit with, and continue to receive, a housing assistance subsidy in the District of Columbia if: (a) The Household meets the…

8900 INTRODUCTION 8900.1 This chapter describes the policies, procedures and standards to be used when a participating family or applicant disagrees with a DCHA decision. 8900.2 The procedures and requirements for informal hearing of certain decisions affecting participants and a…

8901 CATEGORIES OF COMPLAINTS 8901.1 DCHA will attempt to informally resolve the following types of complaints, including those listed below: (a) Complaints from families when the family or applicant disagrees with an action or inaction of DCHA or owner; (b) Complaints from an ow…

8902 DCHA DETERMINATIONS SUBJECT TO INFORMAL HEARING 8902.1 DCHA shall provide written notice to participants and applicants with the opportunity for an informal hearing to contest any of the following DCHA determinations: (a) Qualification for a preference; (b) Listing on DCHA’s…

8903 NOTICE OF HEARING AND PRODUCTION OF DOCUMENTS 8903.1 Requests for an Informal Hearing shall follow the following guidelines: Requests for an Informal Hearing or extension of time to request an Informal Hearing shall be reduced to writing. DCHA may assist participants in redu…

8904 INFORMAL HEARING PROCEDURES 8904.1 Participant Families or applicants have the right to: (a) Examine any document in the applicant's or participant's file and any other documents that DCHA submits to the Hearing Officer; (b) Present written or oral objections to the DCHA's d…

8905 PROPOSED AND FINAL DECISIONS 8905.1 The hearing officer shall, within 14 days of the hearing, make a proposed decision as follows: (a) Whether or not the hearing officer has jurisdiction under these regulations to hear the case; (b) Factual determinations relating to the ind…

8907 ADDITIONAL HEARING RIGHTS FOR RAD RESIDENTS 8907.1 In addition to DCHA determinations that require an opportunity for an informal hearing, as proscribed in 14 DCMR § 8903, residents of RAD Project-based properties may request a hearing for any dispute that a resident may hav…

8908 INFORMAL HEARING PROCEDURES RELATED TO THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT 8908.1 This section supersedes any contradicting section in this chapter. 8908.2 Recommendation for Termination. (a) DCHA shall issue a Recommendation for Termination to the family member alleged to have c…

8999 DEFINITIONS 8999.1 For purposes of Chapter 89, the following terms shall have the meanings ascribed: Good cause - is defined as an unavoidable conflict which seriously affects the health, safety or welfare of the family or applicant, including a verified illness or disabilit…

900 OCCUPANCY OF RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS 900.1 Allowable occupancy in residential buildings as provided in the this subtitle shall not be construed as superseding or contravening any limitations imposed on occupancy by applicable requirements of fire safety and egress. 900.2 Unoccu…

901 FIRE SAFETY: GENERAL PROVISIONS 901.1 The operator of each housing business shall maintain all required fire extinguishing equipment in an operable condition. 901.2 The operator of each housing business shall maintain all required fireproofing and all fire protective construc…

902 EGRESS FACILITIES 902.1 It shall be the duty of the operator of each housing business to keep fire escapes, stairways, and other egress facilities in a good state of repair and free from obstruction. 902.2 The operator of each housing business shall keep exterior stairways an…

903 EXIT AND EMERGENCY LIGHTS AND DIRECTIONAL SIGNS 903.1 It shall be the duty of the operator of each housing business to maintain in an operable condition all emergency and exit lights. 903.2 The operator of each housing business shall maintain lighted exits and emergency light…

904 FIRE ALARM SYSTEMS 904.1 The operator of each housing business shall maintain in an operable condition all required fire alarm systems. 904.2 The operator of each housing business shall provide and maintain informative signs concerning the operation of the local fire alarm sy…

905 COMBUSTIBLE REFUSE AND DEBRIS 905.1 No old rags, paper, or other like refuse material, gathered or recovered from any sources, shall be brought into or allowed to remain within any building used as a dwelling. 905.2 It shall be the duty of the operator of a housing business t…

906 HEATING AND COOKING APPLIANCES 906.1 The provisions of this section shall apply to all housing businesses. 906.2 Heating and cooking appliances shall be installed and maintained in accordance with the fire prevention and protection requirements of the applicable D.C. laws and…

907 REPORT OF FIRES 907.1 Whenever a fire occurs in any residential building of any kind, except a private dwelling, it shall be the duty of the owner, manager, or person in control of that building, upon discovery of a fire, or evidence of there having been a fire (even though i…

999 DEFINITIONS 999.1 The provisions of section 199 of chapter 1 of this title and the definitions set forth in that section shall be applicable to this chapter.

9100 PROGRAM PURPOSE 9100.1 The United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is conducting the Moving to Work (MTW) Housing Choice Voucher Program Rent Reform Demonstration program (Rent Reform Demonstration or Program), designed to implement and evaluate an al…

SELECTION OF STUDY GROUP AND CONTROL GROUP 9101.1 Program participants shall be selected from among current HCVP participant families, using a random assignment methodology. Households shall be selected for either the study or control groups prior to their scheduled recertificati…

9102 ENROLLMENT 9102.1 Once a participant is enrolled in the study group and has begun receiving assistance using the alternative rent policy, the following regularly scheduled events shall occur: Triennial recertification, at which time income is calculated and total tenant paym…

9103 ANNUAL INCOME 9103.1 For the purposes of determining all forms of income for families participating in the program, DCHA shall follow HUD requirements to verify income, but shall calculate and treat gross annual income as follows: To establish annual gross income for the thr…

9104 UTILITY PAYMENTS AND REIMBURSEMENTS 9104.1 DCHA, under its MTW Authority, established its “Simplified Utility Allowance Schedule.” The calculation of the Utility Allowance and Reimbursements shall be in accordance with Sections 5311 and 5322 of Title 14, pursuant to DCHA Mov…

9105 APPLYING UTILITY ALLOWANCES 9105.1 A DCHA-established utility allowance schedule is used in determining Family Share and HAP. DCHA shall use the appropriate utility for the lesser of the dwelling unit actually leased by a family or the voucher unit size for which the Family …

9106 UTILITY ALLOWANCES 9106.1 Pursuant to 14 DCMR Section 5311, the allowances are based on actual rates and average consumption estimates, not on a family’s energy consumption. 9106.2 The utility allowance is applied as follows: As a reduction in the family’s portion of rent; A…

9107 ADJUSTED INCOME AND DETERMINATION OF RENT 9107.1 The alternative rent policy does not use adjusted income to calculate rent and Housing Assistance Payment (HAP); therefore there are no deductions or allowances applied to the gross income calculated in accordance with 14 DCMR…