ota

Office of the Tenant Advocate

Due to COVID-19, the office is closed to walk-ins until further notice.
For telephone intakes please call (202) 719-6560.

Agency Home Responsive

New Rent Increase Caps for Rent Control

On June 6 2023 the DC Council approved the Rent Stabilized Housing Inflation Protection Emergency Amendment Act of 2023. These documents help explain the rent increase caps for rent controlled units.

Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP)

DC DHS announced that the last day to submit new applications for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) is Friday, March 10 at 11:59 pm. DHS will continue to process all ERAP applications received before the application portal's closure.

Tenant Tutorial Videos

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

2022 Tenant Stakeholder Meeting: Rent Control Regulations Have Changed! What You Should Know

On Nov. 17, 2022, the OTA teamed up with the DC Rental Housing Commission to present highlights of the RHC's revised regulations for the Rental Housing Act. Regulatory overhaul and update took effect on Dec. 31, 2021

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

Feb 10 2023

RHC publishes Rent Increase Caps for Rent Control Year 2023: 5% for elderly/disability tenants; 8.9% for all other tenants

The Rental Housing Commission (RHC) has published the 2023 change in the regional consumer price...

Jan 20 2023

Rent Increase Caps for Rent Control Year 2023: 5% for elderly/disability tenants; 8.9% for all other tenants

The Rental Housing Commission (RHC) has determined the 2023 change in the regional consumer price...

Nov 17 2022

OTA and the Rental Housing Commission Present on the Revised Regulations for the Rental Housing Act

On November 17, 2022, the OTA teamed up with the DC Rental Housing Commission (RHC) to present...

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.

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.