Campaign Update #1 · July 27, 2026
A Call for Congressional Oversight of Washington’s Housing System
A major milestone in the Housing Recovery Campaign.
“The District’s housing challenges cannot be solved by examining one law, one agency, or one court decision at a time. It is time to examine the housing system as a whole.”
A Major Milestone
Congress has been asked to examine the housing system as a whole.
The D.C. Housing Recovery Coalition has formally requested that the U.S. House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform initiate a comprehensive review of Washington, D.C.’s rental housing system, beginning with the operations of the D.C. Superior Court’s Landlord and Tenant Branch.
This request represents the first major public milestone in the Housing Recovery Campaign—a coordinated effort to restore stability, accountability, and confidence to Washington’s housing ecosystem through congressional engagement, independent research, legislative advocacy, and strategic litigation.
The Questions Congress Should Be Asking
For decades, Washington’s housing debate has largely focused on individual laws, agencies, and government programs. The D.C. Housing Recovery Coalition believes it is time to ask a more fundamental question.
That is the question HRC has asked Congress to examine. Among the issues we have asked Congress to review are:
Housing Court Operations
Are the District’s current housing court procedures promoting the timely, fair, and efficient administration of justice for both tenants and housing providers? Or have prolonged case timelines, virtual initial hearings, mandatory mediation, repeated continuances, and other post-pandemic practices contributed to housing instability, reduced housing affordability, delayed access to justice, and weakened confidence in the court system?
Permanent Pandemic Housing Policies
Many emergency housing policies adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic remain in place years after the public health emergency ended. Congress should determine whether these permanent emergency-era policies continue to improve housing stability and protect tenants—or whether they now contribute to prolonged court delays, financial distress, reduced housing affordability, declining investment, and the loss of affordable housing.
Rent Control
Rent control was adopted to preserve affordable housing and improve long-term housing affordability. Because it primarily applies to the District’s older apartment buildings, it directly affects much of Washington’s Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH). Congress should determine whether the cumulative effect of rent control—together with prolonged court delays, TOPA, just-cause eviction requirements, and other housing regulations—continues to preserve affordable housing for current and future tenants, or whether it has unintentionally limited the ability of housing providers to finance rehabilitation, maintain aging buildings, preserve affordable housing, encourage responsible private investment, and exercise fundamental constitutional property rights.
Preservation of Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH)
Naturally occurring affordable housing provides thousands of District residents with housing that is affordable without ongoing public subsidy. Congress should determine whether current policies are preserving this essential housing resource—or unintentionally contributing to deferred maintenance, financial distress, declining property values, and the loss of affordable housing opportunities for future tenants.
Just Cause Eviction
Just-cause eviction laws are intended to protect tenants and promote housing stability. Congress should determine whether, when combined with prolonged court proceedings, rent stabilization, TOPA, and other housing regulations, these laws continue to appropriately balance tenant protections, constitutional property rights, due process, housing affordability, and the practical ability to preserve and operate rental housing.
Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP)
ERAP provided critical assistance to many households during the pandemic. Congress should determine whether permanent ERAP-related procedures continue to advance housing stability and housing affordability—or whether they have unintentionally contributed to prolonged court proceedings, financial losses, reduced investment, and increased pressure on affordable housing providers serving District tenants.
Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA)
TOPA was adopted to preserve affordable housing and expand homeownership opportunities. Congress should determine whether the cumulative operation of TOPA continues to achieve those objectives—or whether it has created unnecessary transaction delays, increased carrying costs, discouraged investment, and reduced opportunities to preserve and expand affordable rental housing.
Department of Buildings
Safe, well-maintained housing is essential to tenants and housing affordability. Congress should determine whether permitting delays, repetitive inspections, vacant building enforcement, and other regulatory practices appropriately balance public safety with the timely rehabilitation, preservation, and production of affordable housing. Congress should also examine whether current practices respect due process while allowing housing providers to maintain quality housing for District residents.
Office of the Attorney General
Housing law enforcement should protect tenants, preserve affordable housing, and encourage compliance with the law. Congress should determine whether current enforcement practices appropriately balance tenant protection, due process, constitutional property rights, housing affordability, and the long-term preservation of quality rental housing.
D.C. Housing Authority (DCHA)
The District of Columbia Housing Authority administers hundreds of millions of dollars in federally funded housing assistance and plays a critical role in providing affordable housing to thousands of District residents. Congress should determine whether inspection delays, payment interruptions, rent abatements, administrative backlogs, and other operational practices have discouraged housing provider participation, delayed housing placements for voucher recipients, increased costs, reduced housing affordability, and limited housing opportunities for low-income families. Congress should also examine whether these practices are protecting federal taxpayer investments and strengthening the long-term effectiveness of the Housing Choice Voucher Program.
The Cumulative Regulatory Burden
Housing providers operate within an increasingly complex system of licensing requirements, inspections, reporting obligations, registration mandates, code enforcement, and other regulatory requirements. Congress should determine whether the cumulative effect of these obligations continues to protect tenants and preserve affordable housing—or whether it has become so extensive that it discourages housing preservation, rehabilitation, private investment, and the long-term production of affordable housing. Congress should also examine whether the cumulative operation of these requirements raises broader questions concerning constitutional property rights, due process, governmental accountability, and the practical ability to maintain quality housing for current and future District residents.
What We Asked Congress to Do
The letter respectfully recommends that Congress:
- 01Conduct oversight of the D.C. Superior Court’s Landlord and Tenant Branch.
- 02Request an independent Government Accountability Office (GAO) review.
- 03Evaluate the cumulative impact of the District’s housing laws and policies.
- 04Review federally supported housing programs and taxpayer exposure.
- 05Request operational and performance data from relevant District agencies.
- 06Consider legislative or administrative reforms where supported by the evidence.
Read the Complete Letter
Read the Complete Letter
The complete letter submitted to Chairman James Comer outlines the factual basis for the Coalition’s request and the recommendations presented to Congress.
The Work Starts Now
Washington’s housing challenges did not emerge overnight, and they will not be solved through isolated reforms or temporary policy changes.
The D.C. Housing Recovery Coalition is building a long-term, independent effort to investigate the policies, institutions, and government practices affecting housing affordability, housing preservation, and public confidence. Through research, congressional engagement, strategic communications, public education, and litigation where appropriate, the Coalition seeks durable reforms that strengthen both housing opportunity and the rule of law.
This work will require sustained leadership, broad collaboration, and the support of individuals and organizations committed to meaningful reform.
The opportunity to shape that effort begins now.
Become a Founding Coalition Partner
Major reforms begin with leaders willing to act before everyone else.
The D.C. Housing Recovery Coalition is assembling a select group of individuals, organizations, and philanthropic partners to serve as Founding Coalition Partners during the Coalition’s formative stage.
Founding Partners will help build the institutional capacity needed to advance a long-term strategy for restoring confidence in the District’s housing system through:
- Congressional oversight and federal engagement
- Independent research and policy analysis
- Strategic communications and public education
- Government accountability initiatives
- Legal strategy and constitutional litigation
Together, we can help build a housing system that protects tenants, preserves naturally occurring affordable housing, respects property rights, and restores confidence in the public institutions responsible for housing policy and administration.
If you share that vision, we invite you to request a confidential conversation about becoming a Founding Coalition Partner.
Request a Confidential Conversation
Restoring stability.
Accountability.
Confidence.