By Tashi McQueen
AFRO Staff Writer
tmcqueen@afro.com
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) recently announced legislation that, if passed, would help maintain current affordable housing units in the District and encourage more affordable housing initiatives.
Bowser said last month that D.C. has invested $1.5 billion in affordable housing over the past decade. Additionally, the District has created more than 15,000 affordable housing units, housing 32,000 more D.C. residents in affordable units than 10 years ago.
But Bowser warned, “We are at risk of losing affordable units because too many people aren’t paying their rent.”
“The financial strain on housing providers threatens property maintenance, security and sustainability,” she said. “Most of the tenants in these properties are paying rent, and because of the people who aren’t paying rent, we see an inability for property owners to invest in those properties.”
The Rebalancing Expectations for Neighbors, Tenants and Landlords (RENTAL) Act of 2025 was introduced by Chairman Phil Mendelson (D) on March 3 and referred to the Committee on Housing, the Committee on Human Services and the Committee of the Whole on March 18, where it awaits further action.
Provisions of the bill include allowing landlords to evict tenants arrested for a violent offense near or in the rental unit and increasing eligibility for the Local Rent Supplement Program from 30 percent of area median income (AMI) to 50 percent AMI, aiming to bring the District’s eviction process back to pre-pandemic standards.
Mendelson spoke on the outlook of the bill among council members.
“I have had some conversations with some colleagues about the bill ensuring that the legislation is attended to quickly, but I suspect that aspects of it will be very controversial,” Mendelson said.
Mendelson also said the bill may face delays.
“On April 2, we get the budget,” Mendelson told the AFRO. “The council committees are not going to have a lot of time to spend on legislation, especially complex legislation. I think it’s going to be very difficult for the council to deal with that full legislation until we’re done with the (fiscal year) FY26 budget.”
He said he expects the bill to be addressed after the budget but before the summer recess.
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