The Vacant Space Art Activation Program Act of 2025 aims to address the issue of chronic retail vacancies in the District of Columbia by incentivizing property owners to lease their vacant ground-floor retail spaces rent-free to arts and cultural organizations for a short-term period of three months. The program will be administered by the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED), which will collaborate with Advisory Neighborhood Commissions, Business Improvement Districts, and Main Street programs to identify eligible properties. In exchange for providing these short-term leases, property owners will be exempt from real property taxation for the duration of the lease agreement.

The Act outlines the criteria for qualifying organizations, which include non-profits that provide arts and cultural programming and event planning businesses that organize free events accessible to the public. DMPED will solicit proposals from these organizations, requiring them to submit detailed plans that include programming descriptions, budgets, and marketing strategies. Additionally, the Mayor has the authority to waive permit fees for programming at these locations and negotiate revenue-sharing agreements between property owners and qualifying organizations. This initiative seeks to revitalize vacant retail spaces while supporting the arts and cultural community in the District.