COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
The John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, nw
Washington, D.C. 20004
Christina Henderson Committee Member
Councilmember, At-Large Hospital and Health Equity
Chairperson, Committee on Health Judiciary and Public Safety
Transportation and the Environment
Statement of Introduction
Taking Rubbish Away from Small Homes (TRASH) Amendment Act of 2023
March 1, 2023
Today, I introducing the Taking Rubbish Away from Small Homes (TRASH) Amendment Act
of 2023, along with Councilmembers Brianne K. Nadeau, Charles Allen, Janeese Lewis George,
Zachary Parker, and Brooke Pinto.
The Department of Public Works (DPW) manages the District’s solid waste program, which
includes garbage and recycling collection and disposal. In most cities, all residents who receive
solid waste collection and disposal services pay a fee to the jurisdiction for those services. The
District is unique among similarly-sized cities in that some residents do not pay for trash and
recycling disposal—those services are provided free of charge to single-family homes and
residential buildings with three or fewer units. However, residents in buildings that have more
than 3 units must pay a commercial solid waste management company for trash and recycling
services.
Homeowners residing in buildings with more than three units who not receive DPW trash and
recycling services are eligible for a tax credit, which was set at $60 in 1992, and has been
adjusted annually according to the increase in the Consumer Price Index. For 2023, the trash
credit value is $125, but homeowners cannot know for certain if that amount is sufficient to
cover their portion of their condominium building’s private trash collection bills—the inflation
rate for solid waste disposal does not necessarily mirror the change in the Consumer Price Index
each year. The condo trash credit is intended to level the field between homeowners who do and
do not receive DPW pickup, and the District should ensure that the tax credit is as close as
possible to the actual costs that residents pay. This legislation will require the CFO to do a study
of the tax credit that evaluates the difference between the trash credit offered to owners of homes
not serviced by DPW and the actual cost that those residents pay for commercial trash service, to
better align the value of the credit with the real cost of solid waste disposal.
This legislation also expands the eligibility of the DPW program to include buildings with eight
or fewer dwelling units. Small condominium buildings have difficulty securely committing to
large annual expenses. Additionally, when the cost of these services increases, it is
proportionally a larger part of a homeowner association fee increase than for residents of larger
communities. Residents often benefit more from direct service provision rather than a retroactive
credit, and it is important that the District refine its delivery of essential services to those most in
need of them. I look forward to working with my Council colleagues and the public to refine and
advance this legislation this Council Period.
 1 _______________________________ _______________________________
2 Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau Councilmember Christina Henderson
3
4
5 _______________________________ _______________________________
6 Councilmember Charles Allen Councilmember Janeese Lewis George
7
8
9 _______________________________ _______________________________
10 Councilmember Zachary Parker Councilmember Brooke Pinto
11
12
13
14 A BILL
15
16 _______________
17
18
19 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
20
21 _______________________
22
23 To grant small condominium buildings with eight or fewer units eligibility for residential solid
24 waste management services from the District; to amend section 47-872 of the District of
25 Columbia Official Code to require the Chief Financial Officer to undertake a study of the
26 solid waste tax credit deduction issued to owners of condominium living units or
27 homeowners who pay for commercial solid waste collection services; and to amend
28 Chapter 7 of Title 21 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulations to make
29 conforming changes.
30
31 BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
32 act may be cited as the “Taking Rubbish Away from Small Homes Amendment Act of 2023”.
33 Sec. 2. Small condominium eligibility to receive solid waste collection services from the
34 District.
35 (a) Beginning on October 1, 2024, a condominium building or structures with less than 8
36 dwelling units shall be eligible to receive residential solid waste collection services from the
37 District.
38 (b) To receive residential solid waste collection services from the District, the
39 condominium board shall register with the Mayor on a form approved by the Mayor.
40 (c) The Mayor, pursuant to Title I of the District of Columbia Administrative Procedure
41 Act, approved October 21, 1968 (82 Stat. 1204; D.C. Official Code § 2-501 et seq.), shall issue
42 rules to implement the provisions of this section.
43 Sec. 3. Section 47-872 of the District of Columbia Official Code is amended as follows:
44 (a) Subsection (b)(1) is amended to read as follows:
45 “(b)(1) Is located in a registered condominium building with eight or fewer dwelling
46 units; or”.
47 (b) Subsections (c) and (d) are repealed.
48 (c) New subsections (f) and (g) are added to read as follows:
49 “(f) On January 1, 2024, and every 3 years thereafter, the Chief Financial Officer shall
50 submit to the Council a study of the tax credit authorized by this section issued to owners of
51 condominium dwelling units or homeowners who do not receive solid waste collection services
52 from the District, which shall include the following information:
53 “(1) The monetary value of the tax credit deduction issued to each homeowner per
54 year;
55 “(2) The median cost of commercial solid waste services paid by a homeowner
56 who does not receive solid waste collection services from the District per year;
57 “(3) An evaluation of the difference in cost between the tax credit deduction
58 received compared to the median cost of commercial solid waste collection services; and
59 “(4) A proposed revised tax credit deduction value for homeowners who do not
60 receive residential solid waste collection services from the District that is aligned with the
61 median cost for commercial solid waste services.”.
62 Sec. 4. Subsection 700.8(a) of Chapter 21 of the District of Columbia Official Code is
63 amended by striking the number “(4)” and inserting the number “(20)” in its place.
64 Sec. 5. Fiscal impact statement.
65 The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal
66 impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975,
67 approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a).
68 Sec. 6. Effective date.
69 This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the
70 Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as
71 provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December
72 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of
73 Columbia Register.