D.C. Code tit. 42 § 42-3402.06
Cooperative conversion.
Operative Text
(a) Notice. -- 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 compliance for purposes of cooperative conversion. (b) Tenant opportunity to purchase unit. -- An owner shall make to each tenant of the housing accommodation a bona fide offer to sell to each tenant a share or membership interest in the cooperative. An offer includes, at a minimum, the asking price for the share or membership interest and a summary of tenant rights and sources of technical assistance as published in the D.C. Register by the Mayor, if published. An owner shall afford the tenant at least 60 days in which to make a contract to purchase the share or membership interest at a mutually agreeable price and under mutually agreeable terms, which shall be at least as favorable as those offered to the general public. An owner shall not provide notice prior to the Mayor’s certification of compliance for purposes of cooperative conversion. (c) Notice to vacate. -- An owner shall not serve a notice to vacate until at least 90 days after the tenant received notice of intention to convert, or prior to expiration of the 60-day period of notice of opportunity to purchase.
Under D.C. Code § 42-3402.06 (part of the broader D.C. Code § 42-3401.01 et seq. framework), when a residential property owner intends to convert a building to a cooperative, tenants must receive at least 120 days of advance written notice—delivered by mail and posted in common areas—before the conversion proceeds. Each tenant must also receive a genuine offer to purchase a share or membership interest in the cooperative, with at least 60 days to negotiate and enter a contract on terms no less favorable than those offered to the general public. An owner cannot issue a notice to vacate until at least 90 days after the tenant received the conversion notice, and not before the 60-day purchase opportunity period has expired.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners planning a cooperative conversion under D.C. Code § 42-3402.06 (D.C. Code § 42-3401.01 et seq.) generally ensure that the Mayor's certification of compliance is obtained before any notices are sent to tenants. Compliant operators deliver the required 120-day written conversion notice by first-class mail and by conspicuous posting in common areas, and they extend a bona fide purchase offer to every tenant that includes the asking price, a summary of tenant rights, and terms at least as favorable as those offered to outside buyers. Operators also track the 60-day purchase window and the 90-day notice-to-vacate restriction carefully, since notices to vacate cannot lawfully be served until both timeframes have run their course.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
D.C. Code § 42-3402.06 (within D.C. Code § 42-3401.01 et seq.) gives tenants meaningful protections when their building is being converted to a cooperative, including the right to receive at least 120 days of advance written notice and a genuine offer to buy into the cooperative on terms no worse than those available to the general public. Tenants have at least 60 days to negotiate and contract for a purchase, and they cannot be served a notice to vacate until at least 90 days after receiving the conversion notice and after the purchase opportunity period has closed. Tenants who believe these timelines or offer requirements have not been met may consider raising the violation as a defense in any eviction proceeding, filing a complaint with the D.C. Office of the Tenant Advocate, or reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization for guidance on available options.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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