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Office of the Tenant Advocate

Due to COVID-19, the office is closed to walk-ins until further notice.
Please call: (202) 719-6560 or use "Ask the Chief Tenant Advocate" for assistance.

Agency Home Responsive

Tenant Tutorial Videos

Please view OTA’s tutorial videos on subjects such as rent increases, housing code violations, and TOPA, among others.

COVID-19 State of Emergency & Tenant Rights/Services

District’s tenants rights and available services during the COVID-19 State of Emergency.

COVID-19 Rental Assistance Programs

The Public Health Emergency (”Emergency”) has put a financial burden on renters in the District of Columbia.

Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP)

The Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) helps low-income, District residents facing housing emergencies. A housing emergency is when immediate action is needed to avoid homelessness, to re-establish a home or to prevent eviction.

OTA Summit 2021

Watch the lively and thoughtful discussion about the opportunities and challenges of living in neighborhoods that are rapidly changing.

Talk to Your Tenant Advocate

Do you have a question about your tenant rights? Get help today. Speak to your Tenant Advocate. Meet with an Advocate, ask a question online, or just give us a call.

Tenant Summit Videos

The Tenant Summit is an event that the Office of the Tenant Advocate hosts every fall to educate the tenants of the District of Columbia on the current local and federal legislation and how it will affect the tenant community.

Featured Services

OTA Housing Assistance and Community Service

Contact OTA if you have questions on landlord disputes and other housing issues.

Emergency Housing

Contact OTA if you have questions about financial assistance for emergency housing.

OTA Legal Representation

Contact OTA to find out what types of legal representation is available to you.

OTA Reports

Visit agency-related reports

Legal Resources

Visit legal resources

OTA on Twitter

Tweets by @OTAatDC

Latest

Press Releases

Apr 13 2022

New User-Friendly OTA Legislative Tracking Charts & OTA Legislative Testimonies

The OTA has redesigned its legislative tracking materials to make them more user-friendly.

Mar 14 2022

Rental Housing Commission Publishes CPI-W and Rent Caps for Rent Control Year 2022

The rent control year starts on May 1 and ends the following calendar year on April 30.

Feb 24 2022

Office of the Tenant Advocate's FY20-21 Annual Report Is Now Available

View the report.

Dec 20 2021

Rent Increase Caps Under Rent Control After the Rent Increase Freeze Ends

As of December 31, 2021, the District’s moratorium on rent increase notices to tenants – imposed as...

Nov 22 2021

Certain Tenants May Respond to STAY DC Applications Until December 6, 2021

Tenants can respond to STAY DC applications until 6 pm on December 6, 2021, if those applications...

Office of the Tenant Advocate - OTA

Office Hours
Telephone Intakes: M-F, 8:45 am-4:45 pm, Walk-ins: M-TH, 9 am-4 pm; except holidays

Connect With Us
2000 14th Street, NW, Suite 300 North, Washington, DC 20009
Phone: (202) 719-6560
Fax: (202) 719-6586
TTY: 711

Ask the Chief Tenant Advocate

Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt)

Legislation Enacted Phasing Out the Eviction Moratoria and Other COVID Tenant Protections

Date Released:

Fri, 08/06/2021

On Saturday, July 24th, the Mayor signed an executive order ending the Public Health Emergency (PHE) as of July 25th, and signed into law Act 24-125, the “Public Emergency Extension and Eviction and Utility Moratorium Phasing Emergency Amendment Act of 2021.” The legislation phases out many of the tenant protections enacted during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). Starting January 1, 2022, the landlord may file eviction actions for any of the ten lawful bases for eviction in the District.