14 DCMR § 14-1916

1916.1 DCHA and the housing provider shall execute a Tenant Assistance Contract (hereinafter referred to as “Contract”) as referenced in § 1914.4 that shall be effective the day assistance begins.

1916.2 Contracts may be executed on behalf of a specific eligible family or for specific units to be held for and leased to families eligible for tenant assistance for the duration of the contract.

1916.3 DCHA may enter into contracts with housing providers on either an annual basis or on a long-term basis, subject to the following limitation for long-term contracts:

(a) For existing housing accommodations, the length of the contract may not exceed five (5) years; and

(b) For newly constructed or rehabilitated housing accommodations, the length of the contract may not exceed fifteen (15) years, but may include options to renew in five (5) year increments.

1916.4 Contracts executed on an annual basis shall include the following provisions:

(a) DCHA shall automatically terminate a contract on September 30th if appropriations are not made for the following year; and

(b) The contract shall automatically renew annually if all program requirements are met by the housing provider and the tenant, and program funding is available.

1916.5 Contracts executed on a long-term basis shall have the following provisions:

(a) Shall obligate the housing provider for the term of the contract to offer for lease a fixed number of rental units, specified in the contract, to families eligible to receive tenant assistance, regardless of whether the same family leases the same unit throughout the contract period; and

(b) Shall obligate the District of Columbia government to make tenant assistance payments to the housing provider for the duration of the contract, in accordance with the terms of the contract and applicable law, as long as the housing is in substantial compliance with the housing code.

1916.6 The contractual obligation of the District of Columbia government for long- term contracts shall be backed by the full faith and credit of the District to the same extent that applies to District contracts generally.

1916.7 The District of Columbia Procurement Practices Act of 1985, D.C. Law 6-85 D.C. Official Code § 2-301.01 (2001), shall not apply to contracts authorized under the Tenant Assistance Program.

1916.8 The Contract shall specify that the housing provider may keep the assistance payment for the month in which the tenant vacates without proper notice to the housing provider with no other provision for vacancy loss.

1916.9 The Contract shall allow periodic increases in the Contract rent consistent with the District’s rent stabilization law, except that assistance payments shall be calculated based on the current Payment Standard Schedule or the Contract rent (or gross rent where applicable), whichever is lower.