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DC’s rent control law expires next year. Learn about shaping the next one at the 2019 Tenant Summit

Photo collage by Dan Wallen

The law governing rent increases for residents of the District’s older apartment buildings is up for renewal in 2020. And rent control dominates the September 28th Tenant & Tenant Association Summit.

The sessions this year:

  • Rent Control in the District – A 100 Year Look Back
    We will take a look at the first rent control laws and how they have changed over the decades. This presentation will then discuss the upcoming 2020 renewal of rental control, and what it means for District tenants.
  • Housing Affordability Crisis – What is the State of Affordable Housing in the District?
    This presentation will paint a picture of how the lack of affordable housing has become a national crisis. We will then explore its impact on the District and the devastating effect on some of the city’s most vulnerable residents.
  • Know the Rules to Play the Game – Revising Rental Control Regulation
    The focus of this session will be on the Rental Housing Commission overview of proposed revisions to rent control regulations. After this presentation, tenants will leave with the tools and knowledge to jump start their advocacy activities.
  • Rent Control: Where does the District go from here?
    In 2020, the District’s rent control law is up for renewal for the first time in ten years. The goal of this session is to have a robust discussion about rent control, and how it can be improved to better provide affordable housing in the District.
  • The Key to Change is YOU – Community Advocacy
    No major changes in society have happened without collective action. These panelists will do a deep-dive into the importance of advocacy, and share strategies for how you or your organization can advocate for change effectively.

Details: DC’s Office of the Tenant Advocate (OTA) organizes the summit, now in its 12th year. It’s free to attend. They even serve lunch. Register and view the full schedule here, or register by phone at 202-241-5942.

Time and location: Doors open at 8 a.m. Saturday, September 28th and the summit wraps up at 4:30 p.m. The event is held at the Kellogg Conference Hotel at Gallaudet University (800 Florida Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20002 – map). The closest Metro station, NoMa-Gallaudet, is a 15-minute walk away, and there will be shuttle buses between the station and the hotel.

Read before you go: Barbara Cline, our “High-Rise Life” writer, has written extensively about rent control, renters’ rights and the tenant summits. In 2018, she wrote:

The Summit is OTA’s largest outreach event – a key part of its mission to educate the three-fifths of DC residents who are renters about their rights. All DC renters- whether they are renting an apartment, condo, co-op or room(s) in a house – enjoy these legal rights.

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