Title 42 — Real Property.

(a) The Council of the District of Columbia finds that: (1) There is a continuing housing crisis in the District of Columbia. (2) There is a severe shortage of rental housing available to the citizens of the District of Columbia. The percentage of all rental housing units within …

In enacting this chapter, the Council of the District of Columbia supports the following statutory purposes: (1) To discourage the displacement of tenants through conversion or sale of rental property, and to strengthen the bargaining position of tenants toward that end without u…

As used in this chapter, the term: (1) “Appraised value” means the value of a housing accommodation as of the date of the appraisal, based on an objective, independent property valuation, performed according to professional appraisal industry standards. (2) “Bona fide offer of sa…

For purposes of this chapter, the provisions of § 42-3505.01(n) shall apply.

This subchapter may be cited as the “Conversion of Rental Housing to Condominium or Cooperative Status Act of 1980‘.

(1) An owner shall not convert a housing accommodation into a condominium or a cooperative until the Mayor certifies compliance with the provisions of this chapter. (2) Only an owner may request a tenant election to convert, send notice of intent to convert, or convert an accommo…

An owner who seeks to convert shall provide each tenant and the Mayor a written request for a tenant election by first class mail and post the request for an election in conspicuous places in common areas of the housing accommodation. The written request shall include, at a minim…

For the purposes of this section, the term “low-income” means annual household income, as determined by the Mayor, no greater than 80% of the area median income, as defined in § 42-2801(1)). An owner who converts a housing accommodation, including vacant buildings, into a condomi…

An owner who seeks to convert must pay the Mayor a certification fee. The Mayor is authorized to collect and establish the amount of the fee. The certification fee shall be sufficient to cover the cost of administering this subchapter.

(a) The Mayor may impose and collect fees for the processing of an application for conversion and other services provided by the Mayor or the Department of Housing and Community Development to implement this chapter. The Mayor shall establish the fees by rulemaking pursuant to su…

An owner shall provide each tenant with prior written notice of an intent to convert of at least 120 days by first class mail and by conspicuous posting in common areas of the housing accommodation. An owner shall not provide notice prior to the Mayor’s certification of complianc…

[Repealed or reserved.]

(1) For the purposes of this subsection, the term “qualifying income” means a total annual household income, as determined by the Mayor, no greater than 95% of the area median income, as defined in § 42-2801(1). (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, Chapter …

The Mayor shall not require the owner of a converted condominium unit occupied by a low-income tenant to pay real property tax for the unit. The proportionate value for a unit in a converted cooperative housing accommodation occupied by a low-income tenant shall be exempt from re…

(a) This subchapter shall remain in effect until the Mayor declares that a housing crisis no longer exists pursuant to § 42-3405.12. (b) The rights granted under § 42-3402.08 to eligible elderly and disabled tenants shall not be abrogated or reduced notwithstanding such a declara…

With respect to conversions of housing accommodations by owners or contract purchasers who received a notice of filing or filed articles of incorporation as a housing cooperative prior to August 10, 1980 (the effective date of the Rental Housing Conversion and Sale Emergency Act …

This subchapter may be cited as the ‘Relocation and Housing Assistance Act of 1980”.

If an owner converts a housing accommodation into a condominium or cooperative pursuant to this chapter, the owner shall provide a relocation payment to each tenant who does not purchase a unit or share or enter into a lease or lease option of at least 5 years’ duration. An owner…

The Mayor shall provide relocation assistance to low-income tenants who move from a housing accommodation which is converted into a condominium or cooperative. The Mayor shall provide service in the manner required by § 6-333.01.

If an owner converts a housing accommodation into a condominium or cooperative pursuant to this chapter, the Mayor shall provide housing assistance payment for 3 years to each low-income tenant who does not purchase a unit or share. Housing assistance payments shall be administer…

Relocation and housing assistance payments are not income to the recipient for purposes of the District of Columbia Income and Franchise Tax Act of 1947 (§ 47-1801.01 et seq.).

The Mayor shall include tenant rights to relocation payments, relocation services, and housing assistance payments in the summary of tenant rights required for publication in the D.C. Register. When an owner sends notice of intent to convert a housing accommodation into a condomi…

Repealed Repealed.

The Mayor shall establish an office to coordinate programs of technical assistance and serve as a central clearinghouse for information needed by tenants regarding the conversion and sale of rental housing. Program areas for this office include, but are not limited to, counseling…

This subchapter shall remain in effect until the Mayor declares that a housing crisis no longer exists pursuant to § 42-3405.12.

This subchapter may be cited as the "Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act of 1980".

(a) Before an owner of a housing accommodation may sell the housing accommodation or issue a notice to vacate for purposes of demolition or discontinuance of housing use, the owner shall give the tenant an opportunity to purchase the housing accommodation at a price and terms tha…

In a housing accommodation of 5 or more units, the tenants may form and register the tenant organization with the Mayor, pursuant to § 42-3404.11, at any time; provided, that this section shall not be construed to alter the time periods within which a tenant organization may exer…

The owner shall provide each tenant a written copy of the offer of sale by certified mail and post a copy of the offer of sale in a conspicuous place in common areas of the housing accommodation if it consists of more than one unit. The owner shall provide the Mayor with a writte…

The right of a third party to purchase an accommodation is conditional upon exercise of tenant rights under this subchapter. The time periods for negotiation of a contract of sale and for settlement under this subchapter are minimum periods, and the owner may afford the tenants a…

The tenant and owner shall bargain in good faith. The following constitute prima facie evidence of bargaining without good faith: (1) The failure of an owner to offer the tenant a price or term at least as favorable as that offered to a third party, within the periods specified i…

The tenant may exercise rights under this subchapter in conjunction with a third party or by assigning or selling those rights to any party, whether private or governmental. The exercise, assignment, or sale of tenant rights may be for any consideration which the tenant, in the t…

An owner shall not request, and a tenant may not grant, a waiver of the right to receive an offer of sale under this subchapter. An owner shall not require waiver of any other right under this subchapter except in exchange for consideration which the tenant, in the tenant’s sole …

In addition to any and all other rights specified in this subchapter, a tenant or tenant organization shall also have the right of first refusal during the 15 days after the tenant or tenant organization has received from the owner a valid sales contract to purchase by a third pa…

The following provisions apply to single-family accommodations: Upon receipt of a written offer of sale from the owner that includes a description of the tenant’s rights and obligations under this section, or upon the Mayor’s receipt of a copy of the written offer of sale, whiche…

The following provisions apply to accommodations with 2 through 4 units: The tenants may respond to an owner’s offer first jointly, then severally. Upon receipt of a written offer of sale from the owner that includes a description of the tenant’s rights and obligations under this…

The following provisions apply to accommodations with 5 or more units: In order to make a contract of sale with an owner, the tenants shall: (A) form a tenant organization with the legal capacity to hold real property, elect officers, and adopt bylaws, unless such a tenant organi…

Sections 42-3404.02, 42-3404.04, 42-3404.05, 42-3404.06, 42-3404.07, 42-3404.09(3) and (4), 42-3404.10(3) and (4) and 42-3404.11(3) and (4) apply to any sale of a housing accommodation for which a contract is not fully ratified prior to June 3, 1980, and the period for contractin…

(a) Every tenant of a housing accommodation which the declarant seeks to convert from a rental basis to a cooperative shall be notified in writing of the declarant’s intent to convert the housing accommodation to a cooperative not less than 120 days before the conversion thereof.…

(a) Before an owner of a housing accommodation may sell a housing accommodation comprised of 5 or more units, the owner shall provide to the Mayor, on behalf of the District, and the Mayor shall have, an opportunity to purchase the housing accommodation in the same manner, except…

(a) The District’s opportunity to purchase shall be subordinate to the right of a tenant. (b) To exercise its right under this subchapter, the Mayor shall provide a written statement of interest to the owner and tenant within 30 days of the Mayor’s receipt of the copy of offer of…

(a) If the District, or an assignee, purchases a housing accommodation pursuant to this subchapter, the District shall remain subject to all provisions of this chapter as owner of the housing accommodation. (b)(1) The Mayor, or an assignee of the Mayor, shall maintain affordable …

(a) The Mayor shall have not less than 150 days from the date of the owner’s receipt of the Mayor’s written statement of interest, issued pursuant to § 42-3404.32(b), to negotiate a contract for sale. (b) For every day of delay in providing information by the owner as required by…

No provision of this subchapter shall abrogate the rights of tenants or tenant organizations under this chapter.

The Mayor may assign the opportunity to purchase provided under this subchapter to a person that: (1) Demonstrates the capacity to own and manage, either by itself or through a management agent, the housing accommodation and related facilities for the remaining useful life of the…

Within 60 days of December 24, 2008, the Mayor, pursuant to subchapter I of Chapter 5 of Title 2, shall issue rules to implement the provisions of this subchapter.

(a) The Mayor shall issue rules for the implementation of this chapter. The Mayor shall issue rules for the holding of elections which shall include, but not be limited to, provisions for secret voting, and the right of any person including the owner to observe the counting of th…

If a time period running under this chapter ends on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, it is extended until the next day which is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.

An aggrieved owner, tenant, or tenant organization may seek enforcement of any right or provision under this chapter through a civil action in law or equity, and, upon prevailing, may seek an award of costs and reasonable attorney fees. In an equitable action, the public policy o…

(a) An aggrieved owner, tenant, or tenant organization may petition the Mayor for declaratory relief under provisions of this chapter. Upon a showing of reasonable grounds, the Mayor shall grant a hearing and may issue findings of fact, conclusions of law, and declaratory orders …