We start our August Alert with some potentially very good news. The RENTAL Act, a bill to reform TOPA, passed its first vote by the DC Council on July 28, 2025. The RENTAL Act includes, among other things, a blanket exemption...more
8/7/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
City Councils ,
Housing Market ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Rent ,
Rent Control ,
Rental Property ,
State and Local Government ,
Tenant Opportunity to Purchase (TOPA) ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Zoning Laws
Across the United States, empty office buildings have become a common sight. According to Moody’s Analytics, office vacancies are at their highest since the 1990s. The COVID hangover has left us with an abundance of vacant or...more
8/1/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Community Development ,
Construction Project ,
Economic Development ,
Federal Budget ,
Housing Market ,
Office Space ,
One Big Beautiful Bill Act ,
Real Estate Development ,
Rental Property ,
Rental Rates ,
Senior Housing ,
Tenant Opportunity to Purchase (TOPA) ,
Trump Administration ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Vacant Properties ,
Zoning Laws
When District of Columbia Council Chairman Phil Mendelson introduced the Rebalancing Expectations for Neighbors, Tenants and Landlords (RENTAL) Act, there were high hopes that much needed reform to the Tenant Opportunity to...more
7/14/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Housing Market ,
Landlords ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Local Ordinance ,
Property Owners ,
Real Estate Development ,
Real Estate Transactions ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Tenant Opportunity to Purchase (TOPA) ,
Tenants ,
Zoning Laws
Happy Independence Week to our readers. 249 years after our great country declared its independence, will some multifamily owners and investors soon be free from TOPA? ...more
As spring begins to give way to summer, legislative activity shows no signs of cooling off. Our May TOPA Alert generated many questions and comments and a further update on the pending TOPA reform legislation is included...more
6/13/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Apartments ,
BEPS ,
Condominiums ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Housing Market ,
Landlords ,
Multi-Family Housing ,
Municipalities ,
Property Owners ,
Property Tax ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Real Estate Development ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Rent Control ,
Rental Assistance Programs ,
Tenant Opportunity to Purchase (TOPA) ,
Tenants ,
Zoning Laws
As reported in our April 2025 Alert on March 3, 2025, DC Council Chairman Phil Mendelson introduced the Rebalancing Expectations for Neighbors, Tenants, and Landlords (RENTAL) Act (B26-0164), which includes proposed...more
This month’s Alert updates recent housing legislation, including proposed amendments to the DC Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA), the launch of the DC RentRegistry portal, and updates to Montgomery County's rent...more
4/8/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
FHFA ,
Housing Market ,
Landlords ,
Maryland ,
Multi-Family Housing ,
Property Owners ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Rent Control ,
Tenants
With very active legislative sessions in the DMV region, we're providing these updates on proposed legislation and several ongoing efforts impacting the multifamily industry. ...more
3/18/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
BEPS ,
Eviction ,
Landlords ,
Multi-Family Development ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Real Estate Development ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Rent Control ,
State and Local Government ,
Tenant Opportunity to Purchase (TOPA) ,
Tenants ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Zoning Laws
Finally, some potential good news for multifamily property owners and developers in DC. It appears that the discussions on reforming the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA), as well as the Emergency Rental Assistance...more
With Election Day fast approaching, market indicators appear more promising, notwithstanding regulatory hurdles. As a follow-up to our most recent Alert, below are some updates on recent multifamily legislative and legal...more
As a follow-up to our recent alerts, the Prince George’s County Council in Maryland held a public hearing Tuesday, April 25, and approved CB-51-2023, An Emergency Act Concerning Landlord Retaliation for Rent Stabilization...more
Summary -
The Rent Stabilization Act signed into law by Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks restricts County landlords from increasing tenants’ rent above 3 percent over a 12-month period. Separately,...more
Summary -
Numerous recent developments are having an impact on multifamily properties and owners throughout the region. These developments range from federal efforts to “protect renters and promote rental affordability” to...more
Summary -
New legislation would greatly expand the Montgomery County’s “payment in lieu of taxes” (PILOT) program....more
The Howard County, Maryland, Council passed Bill 13-2020—the Affordable Housing Retention Act—last week. This legislation provides the County and the Howard County Housing Commission with the right to purchase rental housing...more