D.C. Code tit. 42 § 42-3502.02b
Independence of the Rental Housing Commission; transfer provisions.
Operative Text
(a) (1) Nothing in this chapter may be construed as granting the Department of Housing and Community Development or any other agency of the District government power or authority over the Rental Housing Commission's powers, duties, or personnel. (2) For as long as the Rental Housing Commission's budget is captured by a program code within the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Rental Housing Commission shall have exclusive authority to administer the Rental Housing Commission's budget, subject to compliance with District law; (b) (1) Within 30 days after October 1, 2019, all positions, property, records, and unexpended balances of appropriations, allocations, assessments, and other funds available or to be made available to the Rental Housing Commission, while captured as a program code within the Department of Housing and Community Development, relating to the duties and functions assigned to the Rental Housing Commission pursuant to §§ 42-3502.01 through 42-3502.02a , shall be transferred to the Rental Housing Commission. (2) All rules, orders, obligations, determinations, grants, contracts, licenses, and agreements of the Department of Housing and Community Development relating to functions transferred to the Rental Housing Commission pursuant to the Rental Housing Commission Independence Clarification Amendment Act of 2018 [D.C. Law 22-200, February 22, 2019], shall remain in effect according to their terms until lawfully amended, repealed, or modified. (c) The Mayor shall provide funding for the Rental Housing Commission in the annual budget request to the Council as a separate agency code.
D.C. Code § 42-3501.01 et seq. § 42-3502.02b establishes the Rental Housing Commission as an independent body, shielded from oversight or control by the Department of Housing and Community Development or any other District agency. The provision required that, within 30 days of October 1, 2019, all positions, funds, records, and property associated with the Commission be formally transferred to it as a standalone entity. Existing rules, contracts, and agreements previously held by the Department that relate to the Commission's functions remain valid until lawfully changed, and the Mayor must present the Commission's budget to the Council as a separate agency line item.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under D.C. Code § 42-3501.01 et seq. § 42-3502.02b, the Rental Housing Commission operates independently of the Department of Housing and Community Development, meaning that landlords subject to rent regulation in the District interact with a Commission that controls its own administration, personnel, and budget. Compliant operators generally direct rent-related filings, appeals, and inquiries to the Commission itself rather than to DHCD, recognizing that the two bodies have distinct and separate jurisdictions. Staying current with Commission-issued rules and orders—which remain in effect under this provision until formally amended or repealed—is a standard part of managing rent-regulated property in the District.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
D.C. Code § 42-3501.01 et seq. § 42-3502.02b clarifies that the Rental Housing Commission is an independent agency with its own budget and authority, separate from the Department of Housing and Community Development. This matters for tenants because complaints, appeals, and petitions related to rent regulation are handled by the Commission acting on its own authority, not subject to direction from other District agencies. Tenants seeking to understand their rights or pursue a matter before the Commission may find it useful to consult a tenant-rights organization or review the Commission's own published rules and orders, which remain in effect under this provision until lawfully changed.
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
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation