The Homes Not Stadiums campaign is seeking feedback from the community on our revised ballot initiative.
Each section below includes a hyperlink to the portion of the DC code that the ballot initiative seeks to amend in order to help everyone better understand the current law and the changes we are proposing.
At the bottom of this page is a feedback form and we encourage everyone to provide their thoughts on the DRAFT ballot initiative. How can it be better? What should be added? What should be removed? You do not need to be a lawyer to provide feedback and you can do so anonymously if you wish.
If you have general questions, please do not hesitate to reach out and we’ll do our best to answer them.
UPDATE: The deadline for community feedback is Monday, September 15, 2025.
SHORT TITLE:
Affordable Housing Act of 2026
SUMMARY STATEMENT:
If enacted, and subject to appropriations, this Initiative would apply the D.C. rent control law to rental units in any building permitted before 2001 (rather than before 1975 as under current law); and enhance affordable housing benefits available to the neediest residents by lowering eligibility based on income for the Inclusionary Zoning Program; increasing the amount of affordable housing on land sold by the D.C. Government and reserving more for the lowest-income families.
LEGISLATIVE TEXT:
BE IT ENACTED BY THE ELECTORS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as the “Affordable Housing Act of 2026.”
Section 2. Section 101 of the Inclusionary Zoning Implementation Amendment Act of 2006, effective March 14, 2007 (D.C. Law 16-275; D.C. Official Code §6-104.01) is amended as follows: Subsection (1) is amended to read as follows:
“(1) ‘Eligible household’ means a household of one or more individuals with a total annual income adjusted for household size equal to or less than 25% of the MFI, 30% of the MFO, 40% of the MFI or other percentage of the MFI established by an order approving a Planned Unit Development pursuant to Chapter 3 of Title 11-X of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations.”
Section 3. The Act authorizing the sale of certain real estate in the District of Columbia no longer required for public purposes, effective August 5, 1939 (53 Stat. 211, ch. 449; D.C. Official Code §10-801), as amended by section 2 of the Disposition of District Land for Affordable Housing Amendment Act of 2014, effective March 10, 2015 (D.C. Law 20-193), and as further amended by section 2(f) of the Land Disposition Transparency and Clarification Amendment Act of 2016, effective April 7, 2017 (D.C. Law 21-267), is further amended as follows:
(a) Subsection (b-3)(1) is amended to read as follows:
“(1) If a proposed disposition of real property will result in the development of multifamily residential property consisting of 5 or more units (‘multifamily units’), the following affordable housing requirements shall apply:
“(A) If the multifamily units are located in the following areas, at least 65% of the units shall be dedicated as affordable housing:
“(i) Within ½ mile of a Metrorail station that is in operation for for which a construction contract has been awarded on or before the date of the disposition; or
“(ii) Within ¼ mile of a Priority Corridor Network Metrobus route, as designated by the Washington Area Metropolitan Transit authority, located entirely or partially within the District of Columbia;
“(B) If the multifamily units are located outside of the areas described in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, at least 20% of the units shall be dedicated as affordable housing;
“(C) The units dedicated as affordable housing pursuant to subparagraphs (A) and (B) of this paragraph shall remain affordable-housing units for the life of the ground lease if the land disposition is by ground lease, or shall remain affordable-housing units in perpetuity, secured by a covenant running with the land that may be extinguished at the sole discretion of the District; and
“(D) The purchase price for the second and subsequent sales of the units dedicated as affordable housing described in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of this paragraph shall be determined by a formula established by the Mayor.”
(b) Subsection (b-3)(2) is amended to read as follows:
“(2) The units dedicated as affordable housing pursuant to subparagraphs (A) and (B) of this paragraph shall be made available at the following affordability levels:
“(A) In the case of rental units, at least 25% of the units shall be housing for which an extremely low-income household will pay no more than 30% of its income toward housing costs, 25% of the units shall be housing for which a very low-income household will pay no more than 30% of its income toward housing costs, 25% of the units shall be housing for which a low-income household will pay no more than 30% of its income toward housing costs and the remainder of such unit shall be housing for which a moderate income household will pay no more than 30% of its income toward housing costs
“(B) In the case of ownership units, 25% of the units shall be housing for which a very low income household will pay no more than 30% of its income toward housing costs, 35% of the units shall be housing for which a low-income household will pay no more than 30% of its income toward housing costs and the remaining units shall be housing for which a moderate income household will pay no more than 30% of its income toward housing costs.”
(c) Subsection (b-3)(n) is amended by thereto the following new paragraph (6):
“(6) “Extremely how-income household” means a household consisting of one or more persons with total household income less than or equal to 15 % of the area median income.”
Section 4. Section 2 of the Affordable Housing Clearinghouse Directory Act of 2008, effective August 15, 2008 (D.C. Law 17-215; D.C. Official Code §42-2131) is amended to read as follows: Subsection (4) is amended to read as follows:
“(4) ‘Affordable housing unit’ means a dwelling that is offered for rent or for sale for residential occupancy and is made available to, and affordable to, a household whose income is equal to, or less than, 60% of AMI, a a result of a federal or district subsidy.”
Section 5. Section 2 of the Housing Production Trust Fund Act of 1988, effective March 16, 1989 (D.C. Law 7-202; D.C. Official Code §42-2801), as amended by section 501 of the Housing Act of 2002 (D.C. Law 14-114), and as further amended by section 3 of the Workforce Housing Production Program Amendment Act of 2008 (D.C. Law 17-285), is further amended as follows:
(a) Subsection 2A is amended to read as follows:
“(2A) ‘Eligible household’ means a household that, at the time of its purchase of a qualified housing unit, had total annual income at or below 60% of the area median income, provided that the annual incomes of eligible households assisted through an allocation of proceeds from the Housing Production Trust fund shall not exceed 40% of the area median income.”
(b) Subsection 3 is amended to read as follows:
“(3) ‘Extremely low income’ means a household income equal to 15% or less of the area median income.”
(c) Subsection 6 is amended to read:
“(6) ‘Low income” means a household income equal to, or less than, 40% of the area median income and greater than 25% of the area median income.”
(d) Subsection 7 is amended to read:
“(7) ‘Moderate income’ means a total income equal to between 25% and 40%of the Standard Metropolitan Statistical Area median s certified by the Department.”
(e) Subsection 9A is amended to read as follows:
“(9A) ‘Very low income’ means a household income equal to, or less than, 25% of the area median income and greater than 15% of the area median income.”
Section 6. Section 2062 of the Fiscal Year 2021 Budget Support Act of 2020 effective December 3, 2020 (D.C. Law 23-149; D.C. Official Code §47-860) as amended by the Fiscal Year 2024 Budget Support Act of 2023 (D.C. Law 25-5) is further amended as follows. Subsection (a)(3) is amended to read:
“(3) For the duration of the period set forth in subsection (c) of this section, at least one-third of the housing units developed or redeveloped on the real property are affordable to and rented by households earning on average 40% or less of the median family income; provided that, during such period no such household earn more than 100% of the median family income.”
Section 7. Section 205 of the Rental Housing Act of 1985, effective July 17, 1985 (D.C. Law 6-10; D.C. Official Code §42-3502.05), as amended, is further amended as follows: Subsection (a)(2) is amended to read as follows:
“(2) Any rental unit in any newly constructed housing accommodation for which the building permit was issued after December 31, 2001, or any newly created rental unit, added to an existing structure or housing accommodation and covered by a certificate of occupancy for housing use issued after January 1, 2006, provided, however, that this exemption shall not apply to any housing accommodation the construction of which required the demolition of an housing accommodation subject to this chapter, unless the number of newly constructed rental units exceeds number of demolished rental units;”
Section 8. Applicability.
(a) This act shall apply upon the date of inclusion of its fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan.
(b) The Chief Financial Officer shall certify the date of the inclusion of the fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan, and provide notice to the Budget Director of the Council of the certification.
(c)(1) The Budget Director shall cause the notice of the certification to be published in the District of Columbia Register.
(2) The date of publication of the notice of the certification shall not affect the applicability of this act.
Section 9. Effective date.
This act shall take effect following a 30-day period of congressional review as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of Columbia Register.
PLEASE PROVIDE FEEDBACK!
The deadline for community feedback is September 15, 2025.
We welcome your input!