Bowser wants to strip pandemic-era eviction protections in DC
Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is advocating for the rollback of pandemic-era eviction protections in a bid to support low-income housing developers. She introduced a new piece of legislation aimed at stabilizing the affordable housing market,which she claims has been jeopardized by unpaid rent from tenants. Bowser noted that approximately 15-20% of tenants are not paying rent, making D.C.a “national outlier” in this regard.
The proposed legislation seeks to revert eviction standards to those that were in place before the COVID-19 pandemic, including faster eviction timelines adn the allowance of evictions in cases of violent crimes committed by occupants. Bowser emphasized the urgent need to protect affordable housing for nearly 100,000 residents while facilitating the growth of more housing options.
Along with these measures, Bowser has been active in improving the housing market, including efforts to convert vacant office buildings to residential units and advocating for federal employees to return to in-person work, which could help drive demand in the rental market.Recent reports indicate that D.C. remains one of the more expensive cities for renting, with median rents placing it just outside the top ten nationally.
Bowser wants to strip pandemic-era eviction protections in DC
Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is pushing to roll back pandemic-era eviction protections as the capital city seeks to help low-income housing developers stay afloat.
The mayor unveiled her legislation, which she claims will strengthen the affordable housing market in D.C., but also warned that unpaid rent payments by affordable housing tenants have put the city’s progress “at risk.” As part of her legislation, she wants to revert some eviction protections back to the standards before the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are at risk of losing affordable units because too many people aren’t paying their rent,” Bowser said at a news conference. “The financial strain on housing providers threatens property maintenance, security, and sustainability.”
She warned that the District has become a “national outlier” with people occupying units but not paying rent, saying the rate is roughly 15-20% in D.C.
Bowser’s legislation proposes streamlining eviction timelines to be in line with the standards prior to the pandemic and allowing evictions if an occupant is arrested or charged with a violent crime that happened in or near the housing.
“We now must act with similar urgency to protect the affordable housing that is home to nearly 100,000 Washingtonians and ensure our ability to build more housing. We do that by rebalancing our housing ecosystem and leveraging the right tools, the right investments, and the right policies to meet this moment,” Bowser said in a statement.
The mayor has made multiple efforts to improve the housing and rental market in D.C. in recent years, including attempting to incentivize office building operators to redevelop their properties into housing and other uses.
Bowser has also backed pushes for federal workers to return to in-office work in D.C. and also floated alternative uses for vacant federal office buildings.
A January report from Zumper found that Washington, D.C., has the 11th most expensive median rent for one and two-bedroom apartments in the country, falling out of the top ten from previous rankings. Neighboring Arlington, Virginia was ranked eighth most expensive nationally on the list.
" Conservative News Daily does not always share or support the views and opinions expressed here; they are just those of the writer."
*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases
Now loading...