by Sam P.K. Collins<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A monthslong journey to counter a precedent-setting rent increase reached a significant milestone Tuesday when the D.C. Council unanimously approved legislation intended to protect tenants living in the District\u2019s rent-controlled units. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The finalized legislation, titled the Rent Stabilized Housing Inflation Protection Emergency Amendment Act, included a unanimously approved \u201camendment in the nature of a substitute\u201d (ANS) that capped the annual rent adjustment at 6% for rent-controlled units from July 1 of this year to June 30, 2025. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ANS also set a two-year cumulative cap of 10% for rent that was adjusted, starting this past May and up until June 30, 2025. In the case of elderly rent-controlled tenants and those with disabilities, the ANS capped the increase for this year at 4% and the two-year cumulative increase at 8%. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Overall, the legislation, initially introduced by D.C. Council member Robert White (D-At large) and adjusted with the help of a few council colleagues, prevented what had been anticipated to be a cumulative rental increase of 18% over two years. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
When White initially introduced his legislation on May 30, he set the rent increase to 6.9%, instead of the 8.9% rate that had gone into effect at the beginning of that month. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The road to a finalized bill was paved with many bumps, including D.C. Council members Janeese Lewis George (D-Ward 4), Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5) and Ward 1 Council member Brianne Nadeau\u2019s unsuccessful attempt to introduce an amendment capping the two-year cumulative increase at 10% for most rent-controlled tenants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
During the council\u2019s May 30 legislative session, Council Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) acknowledged Pinto\u2019s slightly less radical amendment over that of Lewis George, Parker, and Nadeau, even though Pinto submitted her amendment just minutes before the council started deliberating on At large Council member White\u2019s bill. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Days later, Lewis George, Parker, and Nadeau reached a compromise with D.C. Council member Brooke Pinto (D-Ward 2) that was reflected in the ANS that At large Council member White submitted on Monday.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In her comments on the dais on June 6, Lewis George expressed gratitude to housing advocates, along with her staff and colleagues for ensuring that tenants would be protected, even if for the time being. However, she remained disappointed that the events of last week\u2019s council meeting didn\u2019t serve any benefit to working-class Washingtonians. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cProcess is weaponized to block protections for working families,\u201d Lewis George told The Informer earlier on Tuesday morning.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s what happened earlier this year<\/a> and last week when our amendment was blocked,\u201d she continued. \u201cI won\u2019t let anyone silence me and silence the thousands of Black and brown residents who I represent. The only way around this is for some of my colleagues to start putting themselves in the shoes of everyday working people.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n The D.C. Council never got the chance to vote on the Rent Stabilized Housing Inflation Protection Emergency Amendment Act on May 30, due to what some council members described Mendelson\u2019s deviation from protocol. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Hours before the legislative session, Lewis George, Nadeau, and Parker circulated their amendment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Pinto\u2019s amendment, as initially written, placed a cap of 8% on elderly and disabled rent-controlled tenants, and 12% on other rent-controlled tenants over a two-year period. The amendment also postponed the 6.9% cap outlined in At large Council member White\u2019s legislation until July for more opportunity to provide clarity around the effects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n D.C. Council member Matt Frumin (D-Ward 3), responding to the amendment, asked whether the cap could be lowered even further. Meanwhile, D.C. Council member Charles Allen (D-Ward 6) expressed concern about the delay of the cap further burdening rent-controlled tenants and landlords having the leeway to raise rent by 12% within a year\u2019s time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Much to the chagrin of fair housing advocates sitting in the council chambers, Pinto and Mendelson spent significant time on the dais editing Pinto\u2019s amendment in response to Allen and Frumin\u2019s input. It had even gotten to the point where other council members, including Lewis George and D.C. Council member Kenyan McDuffie (I-At Large) expressed confusion and annoyance with the apparent lack of order. <\/p>\n\n\n\n After several minutes, Pinto\u2019s newly edited amendment placed a cap of 4% per year for two years for seniors, and 6% for other tenants. Mendelson, after rebuffing Parker\u2019s suggestion that the council table the discussion for another session, decided to postpone the vote on White\u2019s legislation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n On Monday, Mendelson expressed plans to call Lewis George and other council members. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In speaking about his decision to address Pinto\u2019s amendment over that of Lewis George, Parker, and Nadeau\u2019s, Mendelson chalked it up to him exerting his will as council chairman, and not necessarily following any particular protocol. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI recognized Pinto first on the declaration and on the bill,\u201d Mendelson said. \u201cWhether someone comes first or second doesn\u2019t make much difference. It\u2019s the chairman\u2019s prerogative [but] I want to emphasize that I saw Pinto first which is why I recognized her.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Since May 1, landlords of rent-controlled units have been allowed to raise rent by 5% on senior and disabled tenants, and 8.9% on all other tenants. At-large Council member White introduced his bill out of an attempt to strike a compromise between landlords and tenants. <\/p>\n\n\n\nA Period of Mass Confusion in Council Chambers <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Some People Ask for a Deeper and Wider Look at Housing Issues <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n