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Councilmember Anita Bonds Chairman Phil Mendelson 2
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Councilmember Vincent C. Gray Councilmember Trayon White, Sr. 6
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Councilmember Matt Frumin 10
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A BILL 13
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 17
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20 To amend Section 8f of the Homeless Services Reform Act of 2005 to reform the Emergency 21
Rental Assistance Program to require specific documentation from tenants establishing 22
eligibility for Emergency Rental Assistance funds , to clarify the definition of a qualifying 23
emergency situation; and to amend section 501 of the Rental Housing Act of 1985 to 24
permit a court to enter a stay, rather than require a court to enter a stay, when a tenant 25
submits documentation to the court demonstrating that he or she has a pending 26
Emergency Rental Assistance Program application 27
28 BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 29
act may be cited as the “Emergency Rental Assistance Reform Amendment Act of 2024”. 30
Sec. 2. Section 8f of the Homeless Services Reform Act of 2005, effective March 10, 31
2023 (D.C. Law 24-287; D.C. Official Code § 4-753.08), is amended as follows: 32
(a) Subsection (a) is amended as follows: 33
(1) Paragraph (2)(A) is amended as follows: 34
(A) The lead-in language is amended to read as follows: 35
“(2)(A) To qualify for emergency rental assistance funds, an applicant unit shall 36
be required to document:”. 37 2
(B) Sub-subparagraph (v) is amended by striking the phrase “for 38
payment.” and inserting the phrase “for payment; and” in its place. 39
(C) A new sub-subparagraph (vi) is added to read as follows: 40
“(vi) The nature of the emergency situation; provided, that if the 41
nature of the emergency situation precludes documentation, an unsworn declaration made under 42
penalty of perjury explaining both the emergency situation and the reason why the applicant unit 43
does not possess documentation regarding the nature of the emergency situation may be 44
considered sufficient documentation of proof for this element of an application.”. 45
(2) Paragraph (3) is repealed. 46
(b) Subsection (d)(3) is amended to read as follows: 47
“(3) “Emergency situation” means a situation in which immediate action is 48
necessary to avoid homelessness or eviction, to re-establish a rental home, or otherwise to 49
prevent displacement from a rental home, which is the result of an unforeseen or unusual event, 50
such as the loss of a job or high medical costs, that impacts the applicant unit’s ability to pay rent 51
and that cannot be resolved without financial assistance.”. 52
Sec. 3. Section 501(r) of the Rental Housing Act of 1985, effective July 17, 1985 (D.C. 53
Law 6-10; D.C. Official Code § 42- 3505.01(r)), is amended to read as follows: 54
“(r)(1) The court may stay any proceedings for a claim brought by a housing provider to 55
recover possession of a rental unit for non- payment of rent if a tenant submits documentation to 56
the court demonstrating that he or she has a pending Emergency Rental Assistance Program 57
application; provided, that the court may stay proceedings pursuant to this subsection only once 58
during the pendency of the case. 59 3
“(2) The proviso in paragraph (1) of this subsection shall not be construed to limit 60
a court’s discretion to extend or continue a stay. 61
“(3) When an eviction that involves non- payment of rent has been authorized by 62
the court and a tenant notifies the housing provider that he or she has an approved Emergency 63
Rental Assistance Program application that would pay the full amount of unpaid rent owed by 64
the tenant no later than 48 hours prior to the scheduled date and time of the eviction, the housing 65
provider shall reschedule the eviction for a date no earlier than 3 weeks from the current 66
scheduled eviction date to allow for the application to be processed, a determination of funding 67
to be made, and, if the application is approved, funding to be distributed to the housing 68
provider.”. 69
Sec. 4. Fiscal impact statement. 70
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 71
impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 72
approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 73
Sec. 5. Effective date. 74
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 75
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30- day period of congressional review as 76
provided in sections 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 77
24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1- 206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of 78
Columbia Register. 79