D.C. Code tit. 42 § 42-3404.06
Exercise or assignment of rights; secondary assignment.
Operative Text
(a) The tenant may exercise rights under this subchapter in conjunction with a third party or by assigning or selling those rights to any party, whether private or governmental. The exercise, assignment, or sale of tenant rights may be for any consideration which the tenant, in the tenant's sole discretion, finds acceptable. Such an exercise, assignment, or sale may occur at any time in the process set forth in this subchapter ; provided, that the cooling-off period in § 42-3404.03b has elapsed, and may be structured in any way the tenant, in the tenant's sole discretion, finds acceptable. (b) (A) If a tenant assigns or sells the tenant's rights under this subchapter , the recipient may only further reassign the rights to a private or nonprofit corporation or a partnership of which the assignee or buyer is an owner, managing member, or officer who can legally bind the entity. (B) No consideration shall be allowed in exchange for a secondary assignment. (C) A tenant who has assigned or sold rights under this subchapter for consideration is entitled to said consideration regardless of whether the tenant has vacated the housing accommodation prior to receipt.
Under D.C. Code § 42-3401.01 et seq. § 42-3404.06, tenants in the District of Columbia hold statutory rights related to the sale or transfer of their housing accommodation, and this provision governs how those rights can be exercised, assigned, or sold. A tenant may act on these rights alone, with a third party, or by transferring them to another party—private or governmental—for whatever compensation the tenant finds acceptable, as long as the cooling-off period under § 42-3404.03b has passed. If rights are transferred a second time, that secondary reassignment must go to a corporation or partnership in which the original recipient holds a qualifying ownership or leadership role, and no payment may change hands for that secondary transfer.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating under D.C. Code § 42-3401.01 et seq. § 42-3404.06 should be aware that tenants hold legally recognized rights that can be exercised, assigned, or sold to outside parties—including nonprofit organizations or government entities—without the landlord's approval. Compliant operators typically track the status of any tenant-rights transactions and recognize that a validly assigned right carries the same legal weight as one exercised directly by the tenant. Understanding the secondary-assignment restrictions in § 42-3404.06(b) can help property managers identify which parties hold enforceable rights at any given stage of the process.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
D.C. Code § 42-3401.01 et seq. § 42-3404.06 gives tenants broad flexibility to exercise, assign, or sell their statutory rights on terms they find acceptable, including receiving compensation for doing so. Importantly, a tenant who has already received consideration for assigning those rights remains entitled to that compensation even if they vacate the housing accommodation before the payment is fully received. Tenants who want to understand how these rights interact with their specific housing situation may benefit from reaching out to a tenant-rights organization in the District or consulting the D.C. Office of the Tenant Advocate for general guidance.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
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Rules and statutes that cite this regulation