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
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
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
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
As summer 2024 winds down, the implementation of new rent control laws has attracted much attention. Providing some respite from the summer’s rent control heat is a recent win for the multifamily industry coming from the...more
8/26/2024
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Landlords ,
Multi-Family Housing ,
Property Owners ,
Rent ,
Rent Control ,
Rental Property ,
Residential Leases ,
SCOTUS ,
Tenant Opportunity to Purchase (TOPA) ,
Tenants
We continue to track important legislative and regulatory proposals and changes in the region. Our most recent prior Alert discussed rent control efforts in Maryland, changes to the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program,...more
Regulation of the multifamily industry appears to be continuing. Our most recent Alert discussed Maryland Governor Moore’s proposals for the Renters Rights and Housing Stabilization Act of 2024; rent control updates; our Rent...more
2/5/2024
/ Landlords ,
LIHTC ,
Low Income Housing ,
Multi-Family Development ,
Rent ,
Rent Control ,
Rental Property ,
Right of First Refusal ,
State and Local Government ,
Tenant Opportunity to Purchase (TOPA) ,
Tenants
In March 2020, the D.C. Council authorized and Mayor Bowser effectuated a public health emergency (PHE). The PHE declaration included restrictions on evictions and rent increases and also tolled all time periods under the...more
The District of Columbia Court of Appeals recently determined, in Williams v. Kennedy, that a conveyance of ownership interests in a rental property does not constitute a sale under D.C.’s Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act...more