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Hearing highlights rent‑arrears crisis and contested eviction reforms in Rental Act
Summary
At the Committee on Housing hearing, nonprofit providers, mission developers and property owners described high rent arrears and long eviction backlogs. Advocates urged caution about expanding expedited public‑safety evictions; industry groups pushed for restored eviction timelines and other court changes to stabilize operations.
Washington — Affordable housing providers, mission developers and property managers described a rent‑arrears crisis at a May 28 Committee on Housing hearing and urged council action on several fronts, even as advocates cautioned against eviction law changes that could harm tenants.
Magnitude and operational impact: Multiple witnesses said delinquency and unpaid rents surged during and after the pandemic and have strained providers. Pamela Lee of the NHP Foundation said NHP’s rent collection in D.C. fell from 95% pre‑pandemic to 82% last year and the organization has written off more than $16 million in uncollectible rent since 2020. Michael Huke (CIH Properties) estimated the city‑wide shortfall could be on the order of hundreds of millions, saying provider reserves and equity are being exhausted.
Industry and nonprofit…
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