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2 Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau Chairman Phil Mendelson
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7 Councilmember Brooke Pinto
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15 A BILL
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18 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
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21 To amend the District of Columbia Housing Authority Act of 1999 to allow applicants for local
22 rent supplement vouchers to self-certify eligibility factors; and to prohibit the Housing
23 Authority from inquiring into an applicants immigration status or prior criminal arrests,
24 convictions, or pending criminal matters.
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26 BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
27 act may be cited as the Local Rent Supplement Program Eligibility Amendment Act of 2022.
28 Sec. 2. The District of Columbia Housing Authority Act of 1999, effective May 9,
29 2000 (D.C. Law 13-105; D.C. Official Code 6-201 et seq.), is amended as follows:
30 (a) Section 26a(c) (D.C. Official Code 6-226(c)) is amended to read as follows:
31 (c)(1) Except as prescribed in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of this subsection, the
32 Authority shall apply its existing Partnership Program and Housing Choice Voucher Program
33 rules to govern eligibility, admission, and continuing occupancy by tenants in units receiving
34 tenant-based, sponsor-based, or project-based voucher assistance under this section, 6-227 , 2-
35 228, and 6-229.
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36 (2) The Authority shall not inquire about nor consider for the purposes of
37 eligibility, admission, or continued occupancy any information about citizenship, immigration
38 status, or prior criminal arrests, convictions, or pending criminal matters.
39 (3) Rules governing eligibility, admission, and continuing occupancy by tenants
40 in units receiving tenant-based, sponsor-based, or project-based voucher assistance under this
41 section, 6-227, 6-228, or 6-229 shall not be inconsistent with this section, 6-227, 6-228, or
42 6-229.
43 (4)(A) The Authority shall allow applicants or participants to self-certify any
44 required eligibility, admission, or continued occupancy factors when an applicant cannot easily
45 obtain verification documentation.
46 (B) Self-certification by the applicant at the time of initial eligibility shall
47 be final and remain sufficient for purposes of continued occupancy recertifications.
48 (5) The Authority shall promulgate such additional rules as are necessary to
49 ensure that eligibility for tenancy in the units supported by grants under this section is limited to
50 households with gross income at or below 30% of the area median income..
51 (b) Section 26b(c) (D.C. Official Code 6-227(c)) is amended to read as follows:
52 (c)(1) Except as prescribed in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of this subsection, the
53 Authority shall apply its existing Partnership Program and Housing Choice Voucher Program
54 rules to govern eligibility, admission, and continuing occupancy by tenants in units receiving
55 sponsor-based or project-based voucher assistance under this section, 6-226, and 6-229.
56 (2) The Authority shall not inquire about nor consider for the purposes of
57 eligibility, admission, or continued occupancy any information about citizenship, immigration
58 status, or prior criminal arrests, convictions, or pending criminal matters.
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59 (3) Rules governing eligibility, admission, and continuing occupancy by tenants
60 in units receiving sponsor-based or project-based voucher assistance under this section, 6-226,
61 or 6-229 shall not be inconsistent with this section, 6-226, or 6-229.
62 (4)(A) The Authority shall allow applicants or participants to self-certify any
63 required eligibility, admission, or continued occupancy factors when an applicant cannot easily
64 obtain verification documentation.
65 (B) Self-certification by the applicant at the time of initial eligibility shall
66 be final and remain sufficient for purposes of continued occupancy recertifications.
67 (5) The Authority shall promulgate such additional rules as are necessary to
68 ensure that eligibility for tenancy in the units supported by grants under this section is limited to
69 households with gross income at or below 30% of the area median income.
70 (c) Section 26c(a) (D.C. Official Code 6-228(a) is amended to read as follows:
71 (a)(1)The funds allocated for tenant-based assistance shall be administered through the
72 Authoritys Housing Choice Voucher Program.
73 (2) Except as provided in paragraphs (3), (4), and (5) of this section, tenant-
74 based assistance provided through the Rent Supplement Program shall be subject to the
75 Authoritys existing rules, regulations, policies, and procedures for the Housing Choice Voucher
76 Program;
77 (3) The Authority shall not inquire about nor consider for the purposes of
78 eligibility, admission or continued occupancy any information about immigration status or prior
79 criminal arrests, convictions, or pending criminal matters.
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80 (4) Rules governing eligibility, admission, and continuing occupancy by tenants
81 in units receiving tenant-based voucher assistance under this section shall not be inconsistent
82 with this section or 6-226.
83 (5)(A) The Authority shall allow applicants or participants to self-certify any
84 required eligibility, admission, or continued occupancy factors when an applicant cannot easily
85 obtain verification documentation.
86 (B) Self-certification by the applicant at the time of initial eligibility shall
87 be final and remain sufficient for purposes of continued occupancy recertifications.
88 (6) Existing rules, regulations, policies, and procedures affecting the Rent
89 Supplement Program shall be submitted for Council review..
90 Section 3. Fiscal impact statement.
91 The Council adopts the fiscal impact statements in the committee report as the fiscal
92 impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975,
93 approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code 1-301.47a).
94 Section 4. Effective date.
95 This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the
96 Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as
97 provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December
98 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of
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36 (2) The Authority shall not inquire about nor consider for the purposes of
37 eligibility, admission, or continued occupancy any information about citizenship, immigration
38 status, or prior criminal arrests, convictions, or pending criminal matters.
39 (3) Rules governing eligibility, admission, and continuing occupancy by tenants
40 in units receiving tenant-based, sponsor-based, or project-based voucher assistance under this
41 section, 6-227, 6-228, or 6-229 shall not be inconsistent with this section, 6-227, 6-228, or
42 6-229.
43 (4)(A) The Authority shall allow applicants or participants to self-certify any
44 required eligibility, admission, or continued occupancy factors when an applicant cannot easily
45 obtain verification documentation.
46 (B) Self-certification by the applicant at the time of initial eligibility shall
47 be final and remain sufficient for purposes of continued occupancy recertifications.
48 (5) The Authority shall promulgate such additional rules as are necessary to
49 ensure that eligibility for tenancy in the units supported by grants under this section is limited to
50 households with gross income at or below 30% of the area median income..
51 (b) Section 26b(c) (D.C. Official Code 6-227(c)) is amended to read as follows:
52 (c)(1) Except as prescribed in paragraphs (2), (3), and (4) of this subsection, the
53 Authority shall apply its existing Partnership Program and Housing Choice Voucher Program
54 rules to govern eligibility, admission, and continuing occupancy by tenants in units receiving
55 sponsor-based or project-based voucher assistance under this section, 6-226, and 6-229.
56 (2) The Authority shall not inquire about nor consider for the purposes of
57 eligibility, admission, or continued occupancy any information about citizenship, immigration
58 status, or prior criminal arrests, convictions, or pending criminal matters.
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59 (3) Rules governing eligibility, admission, and continuing occupancy by tenants
60 in units receiving sponsor-based or project-based voucher assistance under this section, 6-226,
61 or 6-229 shall not be inconsistent with this section, 6-226, or 6-229.
62 (4)(A) The Authority shall allow applicants or participants to self-certify any
63 required eligibility, admission, or continued occupancy factors when an applicant cannot easily
64 obtain verification documentation.
65 (B) Self-certification by the applicant at the time of initial eligibility shall
66 be final and remain sufficient for purposes of continued occupancy recertifications.
67 (5) The Authority shall promulgate such additional rules as are necessary to
68 ensure that eligibility for tenancy in the units supported by grants under this section is limited to
69 households with gross income at or below 30% of the area median income.
70 (c) Section 26c(a) (D.C. Official Code 6-228(a) is amended to read as follows:
71 (a)(1)The funds allocated for tenant-based assistance shall be administered through the
72 Authoritys Housing Choice Voucher Program.
73 (2) Except as provided in paragraphs (3), (4), and (5) of this section, tenant-
74 based assistance provided through the Rent Supplement Program shall be subject to the
75 Authoritys existing rules, regulations, policies, and procedures for the Housing Choice Voucher
76 Program;
77 (3) The Authority shall not inquire about nor consider for the purposes of
78 eligibility, admission or continued occupancy any information about immigration status or prior
79 criminal arrests, convictions, or pending criminal matters.
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80 (4) Rules governing eligibility, admission, and continuing occupancy by tenants
81 in units receiving tenant-based voucher assistance under this section shall not be inconsistent
82 with this section or 6-226.
83 (5)(A) The Authority shall allow applicants or participants to self-certify any
84 required eligibility, admission, or continued occupancy factors when an applicant cannot easily
85 obtain verification documentation.
86 (B) Self-certification by the applicant at the time of initial eligibility shall
87 be final and remain sufficient for purposes of continued occupancy recertifications.
88 (6) Existing rules, regulations, policies, and procedures affecting the Rent
89 Supplement Program shall be submitted for Council review..
90 Section 3. Fiscal impact statement.
91 The Council adopts the fiscal impact statements in the committee report as the fiscal
92 impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975,
93 approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code 1-301.47a).
94 Section 4. Effective date.
95 This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the
96 Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as
97 provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December
98 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of
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