Title 42, Real Property.

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…

(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…

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) For purposes of this subchapter, the term: (1) "Department" means the Department of Housing and Community Development, or any successor agency. (2) "Owner" means: (A) Any person, any one of a number of persons, or any entity in whom is vested all or any part of the beneficial…

(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…

(a) For the purposes of this subchapter and subchapter V of this chapter, the terms "sell" or "sale" shall include: (1) The execution of any agreement pursuant to which the owner of the housing accommodation agrees to some, but not all, of the following: (A) Relinquishes possessi…

(a) An offer of sale shall include, at minimum: (1) The asking price and material terms of the sale; (2) A statement that the tenant has the right to purchase the accommodation under this subchapter and a notice that the tenants are entitled to no-cost technical assistance and tr…

(a) If an opportunity to purchase is not provided pursuant to § 42-3404.02, the owner shall provide the Mayor written notice of a transfer of an interest ("Notice of Transfer") in a housing accommodation or of any ownership interest in a corporation, partnership, limited liabilit…

(a) Within the first 5 business days following receipt of the offer of sale by the Mayor pursuant to § 42-3404.03, the Mayor shall provide all tenant support providers established under § 42-3404.02c and qualified purchasers with a copy of the offer of sale. (b) A tenant organiza…

(a) 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 tenan…

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…

(a) No agreement or contract entered into under this subchapter, including development agreements, shall be deemed valid or enforceable unless the information specified in this section is filed with the Department within 30 days after signature by all parties. Information submitt…

(a) 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 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…

(a) The provisions of this subchapter shall not apply to single-family accommodations except as provided in this section. (b) Notice to all tenants of the potential sale of a single-family accommodation. – (1) Within 3 calendar days of receiving or soliciting, in writing, an offe…

(a) The following provisions shall apply to accommodations owned in majority by a business corporation, as that term is defined in § 29-101.02(2)(A), with 2 through 4 units, other than 2-unit single-family accommodations: The tenants may respond to an owner’s offer first jointly,…

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(c)(5), § 42-3404.10(a)(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 contr…

(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) For Fiscal Year 2017, there is established a TOPA Application Assistance Pilot Program ("Program") to help tenant organizations prepare their applications to the First Right Purchase Assistance Program described at Chapter 27 of Title 14 of the District of Columbia Municipal …

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to: (1) Coerce a tenant or tenant organization to waive their rights under this subchapter; (2) Retaliate against or harass a tenant seeking to exercise their rights under this subchapter; or (3) Make fraudulent or misleading statements or …

(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) After purchasing a housing accommodation, the Mayor, or an assigne…

(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 subchapter IV of this chapter to a qualified purchaser certified pursuant to § 42-3404.02d that agrees to obligate itself and any successors in interest to maintain the affordability required by § 42-3404.33.

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.

(a) 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 poli…

(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 …

(a) The rights provided under §§ 42-3405.03 and 42-3405.03a are in the alternative. The party bringing the action may choose the forum and need not exhaust administrative remedies in order to bring an action under § 42-3405.03. Unless all parties to the action agree otherwise, on…