14 DCMR § 14-2401
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Operative Text
2401.1 This chapter establishes the rules governing the operation of the District’s Opportunity to Purchase Program under Title IV-A of the Act. 2401.2 The purpose of the District’s Opportunity to Purchase Program shall be to provide the District of Columbia with the opportunity to purchase or assign the right to purchase Housing Accommodations consisting of five (5) or more Rental Units, provided that twenty-five percent (25%) or more of the Rental Units are Affordable Rental Units. 2401.3 The Mayor’s opportunity to purchase under Title IV-A of the Act is subordinate to a Tenant Organization’s opportunity to purchase under Title IV of the Act. Tenant Organizations’ rights shall not be abrogated. 2401.4 Third party contract purchasers shall act with full knowledge of tenants’ rights, the Mayor’s rights, and the public policy under the Act. 2401.5 All correspondence to the Mayor shall be in writing and shall be addressed to the Mayor c/o Department of Housing and Community Development, Rental Conversion and Sale Division, 1800 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20020, or at any such address as designated by the Mayor. 2401.6 All correspondence to and from the Mayor shall be sent by registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, by commercial overnight delivery service that maintains proof of delivery, by hand delivery, or by any other method designated by the Department of Housing and Community Development. If the Owner delivers the notification to the Mayor by hand delivery, the Owner shall obtain a date stamped copy demonstrating the Mayor’s receipt. 2401.7 All “days” shall be calendar days unless otherwise specified herein. If a time period under the chapter ends on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, it is extended until the next day which is not a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday.
D.C. Mun. Regs. tit. 14 § 14-2401 establishes the general framework for the District of Columbia's Opportunity to Purchase Program, which gives the District government the ability to purchase—or assign the right to purchase—residential properties of five or more rental units where at least 25% of those units are affordable. Importantly, the District's purchase right is secondary to any existing right held by a Tenant Organization under Title IV of the Act, meaning tenants' collective rights take precedence. The section also sets out procedural requirements for written correspondence with the Mayor's office and defines how deadlines are calculated under the program.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners subject to § 14-2401 should be aware that the District's Opportunity to Purchase Program applies to housing accommodations with five or more rental units when at least 25% qualify as affordable rental units. Compliant operators ensure that all required notices to the Mayor are sent in writing via registered or certified mail, commercial overnight delivery, or hand delivery with a date-stamped receipt, addressed to the Department of Housing and Community Development's Rental Conversion and Sale Division. Owners also account for the calendar-day deadline rules established in § 14-2401.7, noting that deadlines falling on weekends or legal holidays automatically extend to the next business day.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 14-2401, tenants living in qualifying buildings have important protections: the Mayor's right to purchase is explicitly subordinate to the rights of a Tenant Organization under Title IV of the Act, meaning organized tenants have the first opportunity to act. Section 14-2401.4 further requires that any third-party contract purchaser proceed with full knowledge of tenants' rights and the public policy underlying the Act. Tenants who believe their organization's purchase rights are being overlooked may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or legal aid provider familiar with D.C. housing law for general information about available options.
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 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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