Forest Hills Connection || News and Life in Our DC Neighborhood
Covering Forest Hills, Van Ness, North Cleveland Park and Wakefield
Welcome Forest Hills high-risers! We are a vital and diverse community of 30 (and soon to be 31) high-rises, consisting of 17 apartment buildings, 10 condominiums and 3 cooperatives. And we even have one low-rise garden apartment community in our midst.
by Barbara Cline It’s a common dispute between housing providers and renters: the refund of the renter’s security deposit. The security deposit is an additional one month of rent paid when the renter first moves into the rental unit. Generally, renters expect to collect the deposit plus interest when they move out, provided the provider […]
by Barbara Cline From May 1, 2018 to April 30, 2019, the annual rent increase for rent-controlled apartments in DC is 3.4%. For the elderly or disabled renters in these units, it can be less. Quite a bit less, in fact. A new DC law went into effect on April 7, 2017 that changed the […]
by Barbara Cline Each September for the last nine years I have trekked down to the Kellogg Conference Hotel/Gallaudet University in Ward 5 to attend the DC Office of the Tenant Advocate’s annual Tenant and Tenant Association Summit. The Summit is OTA’s largest outreach event – a key part of its mission to educate the […]
We tried to take it easy over the holidays, but the news about neighbors and neighborhood spots has been coming in nonstop since our last roundup. This is going to be a two-parter, with more “Neighborhood in the News” links tomorrow. DC sues over “rent concessions”: We’ve told you about the practice that has given […]
We’ve been seeing more dog poop on sidewalks and in tree boxes. Have you? Our neighborhood’s dog population has grown as apartment building relax policies to allow these wonderful pets. The plus is the social engagement that dogs bring. The minus is an increase in dog poop that is not being captured by the owner […]
by Barbara Cline A couple moved into their affordable Northwest DC rent-controlled apartment last year to save for their wedding. They understood that DC rent-controlled apartments are restricted to one annual automatic rent increase for inflation. This annual rent increase is also regulated – because it is tied to a formula based on the annual […]
by Barbara Cline Recently I heard from my old neighbor – the same one who lived through my late fees nightmare. She moved out of her apartment this summer. And now she had another problem. She had gone on her apartment move-out inspection with the manager. He assured her that her apartment was “perfect” with […]
by Barbara Cline A renter’s nightmare… I used to have it every month. I worried my rent check would be late – and I would be charged a late fee. This late fee would be unfair, excessive and I could not get rid of it. My nightmare came true last fall – for my neighbor. […]
To the Editor: I am writing on behalf of the DC Office of the Tenant Advocate (OTA) regarding a DC rent control article in the April 24, 2017 edition (“High-Rise Life: 2017 rent increases, and what I did when my rent hike notice arrived early”). Several of your readers have asked the OTA whether it’s […]
From the editors: This piece has sparked quite a conversation – among readers and District officials. The Office of the Tenant Advocate differs with this take on how rent-controlled landlords may apply last year’s 0% rent increase for seniors and those with disabilities. Read its response here. We’d also like to note that Barbara is […]
