MEDIA CONTACT: Christian Damiana 202.258.9532 | cdamiana@dccouncil.gov Councilmember Matt Frumin Introduces Legislative Package to Address Legacy of Housing Segregation Frumin’s bills would address the District’s growing housing shortage by removing exclusive legal barriers to constructing new housing units in far Northwest DC. Washington, DC –– Councilmember Matt Frumin introduced yesterday the Addressing Legacies of Housing Segregation in Chevy Chase Amendment Act of 2023 along with a majority of his colleagues. The bill would void exclusive pre-1938 covenants that prohibit multi-family housing on lots originally subdivided by the Chevy Chase Land Company if multi-family housing could otherwise be built on those lots under modern planning and zoning laws. Frumin also introduced broader companion bills to similarly void exclusive covenants in the Rock Creek West planning area and to create a process to remove outdated and unenforceable demographic-based restrictive covenants from deeds. In response to our city’s housing shortage, the District set a lofty goal to build at least 12,000 new affordable residential units by 2025. Unfortunately, the Rock Creek West planning area is lagging severely behind its…
READ MOREMEDIA CONTACT: Christian Damiana 202.258.9532 | cdamiana@dccouncil.gov Councilmember Matt Frumin Introduces Bill to Protect Rent Stabilization, Address Chronic DCHA Landlord Overpayments Frumin’s proposal ensures rent stabilization can co-exist with the housing voucher program and strengthens both affordable housing tools. Washington, DC –– Councilmember Matt Frumin introduced the Rent Stabilization Protection Amendment Act of 2023.The bill ensures the voucher program can thrive without jeopardizing existing rent stabilization policies by ending the exemption of housing vouchers from rent stabilization laws. The legislation, crafted in consultation with the Office of the Tenant Advocate, preserves funds needed to supply more vouchers and house additional neighbors. The DC Housing Authority often pays the maximum allowable rent instead of negotiating a reasonable fair market price, leading to fewer individuals served and a dangerous upward pressure on the housing market that inflates rents. These issues are further exacerbated in rent-stabilized buildings because voucher recipients currently cannot benefit from rent-stabilization policies. As a result, landlords can reap 50 percent more profits by renting to voucher recipients. To address these disparities, the bill levels the playing field…
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