Mayor's rental bill would reshape TOPA exemptions, expand LRSP and press courts to move eviction cases faster

The Council—s Committee on Housing spent more than eight hours of public testimony on the mayor—s Rebalancing Expectations for Neighbors, Tenants and Landlords Act, a broad package that would change how the District applies the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA), expand eligibility for local rental subsidies and alter the timeline and tools judges use in eviction cases.

Proponents from the development and finance community said the bill is needed to restore investment in new housing. "Investors are making it clear: business in the district is either too much of a hassle or too much of a risk," Evan Regan Levine of JBG Smith told the committee. He and other speakers said TOPA, in its current form, delays transactions and deters capital needed to build new units.

Opponents, including tenant advocates and public-housing groups, said the most important function of TOPA is preventing displacement and preserving affordability. "TOPA has been a lifeline for tenants, giving us a seat at the table when our homes were at risk," said Khadijah Hugginsale, a tenant leader in Shaw. She described using TOPA to keep her building affordable after a sale.

What the bill would do

The administration—s measure would:

- Create narrow TOPA exemptions for certain sales of newer, market-rate buildings (proposed: buildings built or…