ENROLLED ORIGINAL
1
A RESOLUTION
25-364
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
December 5, 2023
To declare an emergency, due to congressional review, with respect to the need to amend the
District of Columbia Housing Authority Act of 1999 to establish a temporary
Stabilization and Reform Board to govern the District of Columbia Housing Authority
(“DCHA”) and to require that the Board and the Executive Director of DCHA take
specific actions to reform and revitalize the operations of DCHA.
RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
resolution may be cited as the “District of Columbia Housing Authority Stabilization and Reform
Congressional Review Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2023”.
Sec. 2. (a) The District of Columbia Housing Authority (“DCHA”) provides housing
subsidies for tens of thousands of District residents through programs including the federally
funded Housing Choice Voucher Program, locally funded housing voucher programs, and public
housing.
(b) In 2022, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”)
issued a report describing the results of an on-site assessment of DCHA. The report identified
significant concerns with DCHA’s operations, leading to the development and implementation of
strategies and plans to improve DCHA’s provision of housing and services to low-income
District residents.
(c) Following the release of HUD’s report, the Mayor and Council agreed that it was
necessary to restructure the board of directors of DCHA, with a focus on providing the expertise,
experience, focus, and agility to support necessary reforms, successfully address HUD’s
findings, and revitalize DCHA’s operations. The Mayor and Council further agreed that it would
be necessary for the restructured DCHA board to work closely with DCHA’s executive
leadership to find a more sustainable path forward for DCHA to advance the mission of DCHA,
which is to build and maintain safe, decent, affordable housing for District residents.
(d) In December 2022, the Council passed, and the Mayor signed, the District of
Columbia Housing Authority Stabilization and Reform Emergency Amendment Act of 2022.
Substantively identical temporary legislation followed. Pursuant to this legislation, a new
Stabilization and Reform Board (“STAR Board”) took office and assumed control over DCHA’s ENROLLED ORIGINAL
2
operations at the start of 2023. Among other duties, the STAR Board is tasked with providing
recommendations for long-term governance of DCHA by July 1, 2024. The STAR Board’s
authorizing legislation contemplates a 2-year term for the body.
(e) The Council approved renewed emergency and temporary legislation on September
19, 2023, and October 3, 2023, to maintain the STAR Board’s authorization and operating
mandates. The temporary legislation may not complete congressional review and go into effect
prior to the expiration of the emergency legislation. Congressional review emergency legislation
is therefore necessary.
Sec. 3. The Council determines that the circumstances enumerated in section 2 constitute
an emergency making it necessary that the District of Columbia Housing Authority Stabilization
and Reform Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2023 be adopted after a
single reading.
Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.