D.C. Code tit. 42 § 42-3405.12
Declaration of continuing housing crisis.
Operative Text
(a) Within 1 month of the first annual anniversary date of the effective date of this chapter, and during the same period of each successive year, the Mayor shall determine and then declare whether there is a continuing housing crisis in the District. If the Mayor determines that at least 1 of the factors listed in subsection (b) of this section continue to exist, the Mayor shall declare that there is a continuing housing crisis. If the Mayor determines that none of the factors listed in subsection (b) of this section continue to exist, the Mayor shall declare there is no longer a housing crisis. The Mayor’s declaration shall include the reasons for such determination. (b) The factors which the Mayor shall consider in determining whether there is a continuing housing crisis in the District include, but are not limited to, the following: (1) That the percentage of all rental housing units in the District which are vacant, habitable, and available for occupancy is less than 5%; (2) That the number of new rental units made available for occupancy with the District of Columbia in the previous year is less than the number of units demolished, discontinued in use or converted to condominiums, cooperatives or nonhousing use; (3) That the number of new or substantially rehabilitated units subsidized under federal or local publicly funded programs and made available for occupancy within the District of Columbia in the past year was less than 10,000 units; and (4) The Mayor shall consider any other significant factors which relate to the supply of housing available for low-income District of Columbia citizens. (c) If the Mayor declares that there is no longer a housing crisis within the District of Columbia, the Mayor shall submit a proposed resolution containing the declaration to the Council for a 45-day period of review, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, legal holidays, and days of Council recess. If the Council does not approve or disapprove the proposed resolution, in whole or in part, within the 45-day review period, the proposed resolution shall be deemed approved. Upon the effective date of Council approval of the Mayor’s proposed resolution declaring that there is no longer a housing crisis in the District of Columbia, or upon a date specified in the resolution, whichever is later, the provisions of this chapter shall no longer be in effect.
Under D.C. Code § 42-3401.01 et seq. § 42-3405.12, the Mayor of the District of Columbia is required to conduct an annual review to determine whether a housing crisis continues to exist in the city. The review weighs specific measurable factors—such as rental vacancy rates, the net change in available rental units, and the supply of subsidized housing—alongside any other conditions affecting housing availability for low-income residents. If the Mayor concludes the crisis has ended, that declaration must go before the D.C. Council for a 45-day review, and only upon Council approval does the broader tenant-protection law governed by this chapter cease to be in effect.
Plain English — not legal advice.
D.C. Code § 42-3401.01 et seq. § 42-3405.12 establishes the annual mechanism that keeps the District's rent stabilization framework active or allows it to sunset. Compliant property owners and managers generally stay informed about the Mayor's annual housing-crisis declaration, since the continued existence of that declaration is what keeps the chapter's rent regulations in force. Operators who track these annual determinations are better positioned to understand the regulatory environment governing their rental properties in any given year.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
D.C. Code § 42-3401.01 et seq. § 42-3405.12 is the provision that sustains the legal foundation for the District's tenant-protection and rent-stabilization rules from year to year. As long as the Mayor declares a continuing housing crisis—and the Council has not approved a resolution ending it—the protections under this chapter remain in effect for renters. Tenants who want to understand whether their rights under this chapter are currently active can consult the D.C. Office of the Tenant Advocate or a local tenant-rights organization for information about the most recent annual declaration.
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.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation