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Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie Chairman Phil Mendelson 2
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Councilmember Anita Bonds Councilmember Brooke Pinto 6
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Councilmember Christina Henderson Councilmember Janeese Lewis George 10
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A BILL 13
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 16
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To amend the Homeless Services Reform Act of 2005 to reform the Rapid Re-Housing Program 19
to ensure that individuals and families do not pay more than 30% of their income toward 20
rent, to require the assessment of Rapid Re-Housing participants for the receipt of 21
permanent housing vouchers, to make case management services for Rapid Re-Housing 22
participants optional, and to establish eligibility and prioritization criteria for Targeted 23
Affordable Housing vouchers. 24
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 26
act may be cited as the “Rapid Re-Housing Reform Amendment Act of 2023”. 27
Sec. 2. The Homeless Services Reform Act of 2005, effective October 22, 2005 (D.C. 28
Law 16-35; D.C. Official Code § 4–751.01 et seq.) is amended as follows: 29
(a) The table of contents is amended by adding section designations for sections 32 and 30
33 to read as follows: 31
“Sec. 32. Rapid Re-housing Reform. 32
“Sec. 33. Targeted Affordable Housing Eligibility and Prioritization.”. 33
(b) Section 2 (D.C. Official Code § 4–751.01) is amended as follows: 34 2
(1) Paragraph (27C) is amended by striking the phrase “Rapid Re-Housing and 35
permanent supportive housing.” and inserting the phrase “permanent supportive housing and 36
targeted affordable housing.” in its place. 37
(2) By adding a new paragraph (39A) to read as follows: 38
“(39A) “Targeted affordable housing” means a program that provides rental assistance 39
for an unrestricted period of time to assist individuals or families experiencing homelessness, or 40
at-risk of experiencing homelessness, in obtaining and maintaining permanent housing.”. 41
(c) Section 6(b)(4) (D.C. Official Code § 4–753.01(b)(4)) is amended to read as follows: 42
“(A) Rapid Re-Housing programs for the purpose of providing housing 43
relocation and stabilization services and time-limited rental assistance to help a homeless 44
individual or family move as quickly as possible into permanent housing and achieve stability in 45
that housing; or 46
“(B) Targeted affordable housing for the purposes of providing rental 47
assistance for an unrestricted period of time to assist individuals or families experiencing 48
homelessness, or at-risk of experiencing homelessness, to obtain and maintain permanent 49
housing; or 50
“(C) Permanent supportive housing for the purpose of providing eligible 51
individuals and families experiencing chronic homelessness or at risk of experiencing chronic 52
homelessness, with ongoing housing and supportive service.”. 53
(d) A new section 32 is added to read as follows: 54
“Sec. 32. Rapid Re-housing Reform. 55
“(a) An individual or a head of a household shall pay no more than 30% of their income 56
toward rent while participating in the Rapid Re-Housing Program. 57 3
“(b)(1)(A) No later than 6 months after an individual or family is determined to be 58
eligible for Rapid Re-Housing, the Mayor shall determine whether each individual or family is 59
eligible for a permanent rental subsidy, including permanent supportive housing and targeted 60
affordable housing. 61
“(B) The Department shall share a determination of eligibility with the 62
individual or family within 5 business days of making a determination. 63
“(2)(A) For individuals or families already participating in Rapid Re-Housing that 64
the Department intends to exit from the program pursuant to § 4–754.36b, the Department shall 65
determine the individual or family’s eligibility for permanent supportive housing or targeted 66
affordable housing at least 3 months before the proposed exit date. 67
“(B) The Department shall share a determination of eligibility with the 68
individual or family within 5 business days of making a determination. 69
“(3)(A) The Department shall provide individuals or families determined to be 70
eligible for, or already participating in, Rapid Re-Housing with information on home ownership 71
programs, including the Home Purchase Assistance Program. 72
“(B) If an individual or family requests an application for a home 73
ownership program, the Department shall refer the individual or family to an appropriate 74
community-based organization within 5 business days 75
“(3) If an individual or family entering into or participating in Rapid Re-Housing 76
is determined to be eligible for permanent supportive housing or targeted affordable housing, the 77
individual or family shall not be exited from Rapid Re-Housing until the family receives a 78
voucher and is leased up with a housing provider who accepts the voucher; provided, that this 79
shall not apply to an individual or family who has sufficient income to cover the cost of a rental 80 4
unit they have secured in the District. For purposes of this paragraph, an individual or family 81
does not have sufficient income to cover the cost of a rental unit if more than 30% of the 82
individual or head of households’ income would be used to pay rent. 83
“(c) Case management for individuals or families determined to be eligible for or 84
participating in Rapid Re-Housing shall be voluntary and available upon oral or written request; 85
provided, that an individual or an individual in a family deemed to be eligible for or participating 86
in Rapid Re-Housing who receives income through Temporary Assistance to Needy Families 87
shall not receive case management through Rapid Re-Housing. 88
(e) A new section 33 is added to read as follows: 89
“Sec. 33. Targeted Affordable Housing Eligibility and Prioritization. 90
“(a) Individuals or families who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or participating in 91
a Continuum of Care program shall be eligible for targeted affordable housing. 92
“(b) Individuals or families determined to be eligible for targeted affordable housing shall 93
be prioritized in the following order: 94
“(1) Individuals or families who will be exited from the Rapid Re-Housing 95
program and do not have sufficient income to cover the cost of a market rate rental unit of 96
appropriate size for the individual or family. 97
“(2)(A) Individuals or families in Rapid Re-Housing who are not eligible or 98
prioritized for permanent supportive housing and do not have sufficient income to cover the cost 99
of a rental unit of appropriate size for the participant or participant family. 100
“(B) Individuals or families in this category should be prioritized based on 101
the length of time that the participant has been in Rapid Re-Housing, with individuals or families 102
who have been in the program longer selected first. 103 5
“(3) Emergency shelter residents who have previously participated in Rapid Re-104
housing but are not eligible or prioritized for permanent supportive housing and do not have 105
sufficient income to cover the cost of a rental unit of appropriate size for the individual 106
participant or participant family; and 107
“(4) All other eligible applicants. 108
“(c)(1) The Department shall accept applications for targeted affordable housing from 109
any participant in a Continuum of Care program in the form of oral or written request for 110
consideration. 111
“(2) The Department shall document any written or oral requests for targeted 112
affordable housing in the participant’s file. 113
“(d) The Department shall provide timely written notice of eligibility pursuant to § 4-114
754.33. 115
“(e) Individuals or families shall have the opportunity to appeal adverse action decisions 116
pursuant to § 4-753.41 and § 4-753.42. 117
“(f) For purposes of subsection (b) and (c) of this section, Continuum of Care 118
participants, including emergency shelter residents and individuals and families in Rapid Re-119
Rehousing, do not have sufficient income to cover the cost of a rental unit if more than 30% of 120
the individual or head of household’s income would be used to pay rent.”. 121
Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 122
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 123
impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 124
approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 125
Sec. 4. Effective date. 126 6
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 127
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as 128
provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 129
24, 1973, (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 130
Columbia Register. 131