D.C. emergency act capped standard yearly rent adjustments in stabilized homes

The act limited standard yearly rent adjustments and total adjustments for other tenants in rent-stabilized homes. The yearly limit covers standard adjustments in rent-stabilized homes. The 12% total cap covers homes occupied by other tenants and not leased or co-leased by a covered care provider. A standard yearly adjustment could not exceed the usual allowed increase plus 2 percentage points or 6%, whichever was lower. The 12% total cap uses the unit's legal rent on April 30, 2023, as its starting point. The act applies as of January 12, 2025. The yearly limit covers adjustments taking effect from July 1, 2023, through April 30, 2025. The 12% limit covers total adjustments from May 1, 2023, through April 30, 2025.

The act limited yearly and total rent adjustments for certain rent-stabilized homes. The tenant cap covers rent-stabilized homes while occupied by an older tenant or a tenant with a disability. The provider cap covers rent-stabilized homes leased or co-leased by a home and community-based services waiver provider. For older tenants and tenants with disabilities, the yearly cap was the lowest of 4%, the usual allowed increase, or the latest Social Security benefit increase. Their income did not affect this limit. For covered care-provider leases, the yearly cap was 4% or the usual allowed increase, whichever was lower. Both types of homes had an 8% total cap. The yearly limits cover adjustments taking effect from July 1, 2023, through April 30, 2025. The 8% limit covers total adjustments from May 1, 2023, through April 30, 2025.

People who paid rent above the legal limit had to be repaid. The rule covers people who paid more than the legal rent under those notices. The overpayment must have been made under a rent increase notice sent before the emergency act took effect. Repayment was due within 30 days after the overpayment or by August 1, 2023, whichever was later.

Landlords could send a lower replacement rent increase notice with fewer than 30 days' warning. The option covers notices under the standard yearly rent adjustment rule for increases effective on or after July 1, 2023. The replacement notice had to state a lower increase than the original notice. The July 1, 2023, date applies to when the rent increase takes effect.