A major disagreement has erupted in Washington, D.C., as Mayor Muriel Bowser pushes back against significant changes made by the D.C. Council’s Housing Committee to her proposed housing reform, the RENTAL Act. While Bowser argues her plan is vital to stabilize the rental market and address the city’s housing crisis, councilmembers voted to advance a heavily revised version, sparking sharp public exchanges between city leaders.
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Background: Housing Crisis Worsens
Mayor Bowser first introduced the Rebalancing Expectations for Neighbors, Tenants and Landlords (RENTAL) Act in February as part of her 2026 budget plan. The proposal aimed to restore balance to D.C.’s rental market, speed up eviction timelines to pre-pandemic levels, and reduce regulatory hurdles for developers. Citing financial strain on landlords, Bowser’s office revealed that unpaid rent has soared to $147 million this year, up from just $11 million in 2020.
“During the pandemic, jurisdictions put in place time-limited protections for renters,” Bowser noted in a statement. “As the economy has improved and normalcy has returned, those measures have been lifted, except in D.C.”…