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Council oversight hearing finds improvements at DCHA but residents and providers press for fixes to communication, inspections and voucher delays
Summary
Dozens of tenants, landlords and nonprofits told the Committee on Housing on Feb. 25 that the DC Housing Authority has made measurable progress but still fails many residents who report unanswered calls, slow recertifications, inspection failures and opaque lease-up rules. DCHA leaders said audit follow-ups and system upgrades are underway.
The Committee on Housing convened a public performance oversight hearing on Feb. 25 to review the District of Columbia Housing Authority's operations. Chair Robert White said DCHA must show "durable systems, stable leadership and measurable results," and urged agency clarity on redevelopment timelines and customer service improvements.
Residents and advocates described repeated failures that they say harm families. Daniel Del Piedlago of Empower DC asked, "When will they be relocated, to where, and what will they come back to?" and witnesses from multiple panels reported months-long delays on recertifications and voucher lease-ups, inconsistent inspection outcomes and unclear rent-reasonableness decisions. Several property managers and developers warned that unpredictable rent determinations and late HAP payments are driving small landlords out of the program.
DCHA Director Keith Pettigrew acknowledged deep problems inherited by his administration and highlighted progress: he said the agency has leased up more than 4,000 vouchers in two years and improved call-center response times. "When I began leading the DC Housing Authority in November 2023, I knew the agency had a lot of work to do," he said, and pledged continued follow-through on audit recommendations. The committee directed DCHA to provide follow-up documentation on outstanding audit items, more transparent communication about redevelopments (Greenleaf, Berry Farm, Richardson), and clearer escalation paths for residents and providers who cannot get a timely response.
The hearing produced no immediate policy votes but generated a list of requested follow-ups from the agency on audit reconciliations, voucher waitlist metrics, recertification backlogs and RentCafe access for service providers. Chair White kept the record open for written testimony and said the committee will revisit these issues during the FY27 budget review.
