Below are some of the common questions that have been asked about the ballot initiative. If you have a question that is not answered below, please contact us with your question and we’ll get back to you as soon as we have an answer!
What is the DC Housing Modernization and Accessibility Act of 2026?
It’s a proposed ballot initiative that aims to make housing in Washington, DC more affordable and fair. If passed by voters, it would temporarily freeze rent, create an inflation threshold to trigger future rent freezes, change how affordable housing programs are defined, and ensure more family-sized affordable units are built in new developments.
Why is there a two-year rent freeze?
The ballot initiative freezes rent for two years to give residents relief from rising housing costs. According to the Rental Housing Act of 1985 (DC Code § 42–3502), the District already limits how much landlords can raise rent for rent-controlled units. This new law would extend those protections District-wide for the first two years after the ballot initiative takes effect. Afterward, if inflation exceeds 5% in a year (as measured by the Consumer Price Index for the Washington area), rents would remain frozen for the next twelve months.
What do you mean by future rent freezes during periods of high inflation?
Every year the Bureau of Labor and Statistics publishes the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Washington, Arlington, and Alexandria. This publication defines the inflation over the previous year for Washington, DC and also determines the annual increase to DC’s hourly minimum wage. Rent increases are often tied to inflation, so when inflation is high, your rent will increase accordingly.
In 2025, inflation was 2.4%, which is considered normal. However, in 2021 and 2022, inflation was 5.8% and 5.6%, respectively, which is considered high. Under the DC Housing Modernization and Accessibility Act of 2026, if inflation is found to be 5% or higher, then there will be an automatic rent freeze the following year.
What is the maximum rent increase a landlord can charge for rent controlled housing?
Under the DC Housing Modernization and Accessibility Act of 2026, the maximum rent increase for a rent controlled housing unit is lowered from 10% to 6%. Under the current law, a landlord can annually increase a rent controlled housing unit CPI + 2%, with a maximum of 10%. With inflation currently at 2.4%, in 2026 a landlord of a rent controlled housing unit can currently raise the rent a maximum of 4.6% (2.4% + 2%). However, during times of high inflation, where the CPI is above 4%, then the maximum amount would be reduced to 6% (4% + 2%). If inflation was found to be 5% or higher, there would be a rent freeze and rents would not be permitted to be raised until the following year.
Does the rent freeze apply to Federal and DC-government owned rental units?
No, in our first draft of the ballot initiative, our proposed rent freeze applied to all rental units in DC. However, in the advisory opinions issued by the Office of the Attorney General and General Counsel for the DC Council, they both had concerns that our proposed rent freeze on federal and DC government owned units was not permissible because ballot initiatives cannot limit revenues that would be generated when the federal or DC government raised rents on units they control. In order for the ballot initiative to move forward, we were forced to exclude these rental units. Thus the rent freeze only applies to privately-owned rental units in DC.
How does the law define “affordable housing”?
Under the DC Housing Modernization and Accessibility Act of 2026, affordable housing refers to homes available to households earning 60% or less of the Area Median Income (AMI), as determined each year by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). According to HUD’s 2025 income limits for the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria Metropolitan Area — which includes DC and some of the wealthiest counties in the United States such as Montgomery County, Fairfax County, and Arlington County — the median family income for a four-person household is $163,900.
To qualify for affordable housing under the ballot initiative’s 60% threshold, a household’s annual income must not exceed these approximate amounts:
| Household Size | 60% of AMI (FY2025) |
| 1 Person | $68,880 |
| 2 People | $78,720 |
| 3 People | $88, 560 |
| 4 People | $98,340 |
Why does the ballot initiative make a non-binding policy request instead of changing the law?
Ballot initiatives in DC are prohibited from appropriating funds. The advisory opinions issued by the Office of the Attorney General and General Counsel for the DC Council, believed that Section 4, which sought to amend the eligibility criteria within the Housing Production Trust Fund, was an appropriation. While campaign disagreed with their opinion, in order for the ballot initiative to move forward, we were forced to change this section to make it non-binding.
Why does the current Washington Metropolitan AMI hurt DC renters?
The current Washington Metropolitan AMI includes nearby, high-income counties — among the wealthiest in the United States — such as Fairfax, Loudoun, and Montgomery Counties. Because income levels in those counties are significantly higher than in DC itself, the regional AMI inflates the income limits used for affordable housing programs in the District. As a result, some housing that qualifies as “affordable” may still be out of reach for many DC residents whose incomes fall well below the regional median. This ballot initiative addresses this by aligning affordability more closely with DC’s actual income realities, focusing on households making 60% or less of the metropolitan AMI, and directing deeper affordability for public land dispositions.
What does the law say about new housing built on DC-owned land?
Two-thirds of all new apartments built on DC government land would have to be affordable. Of these units:
• One-quarter would be for extremely low-income households (earning ≤15% AMI)
• One-quarter for very low-income households (15–30% AMI)
• One-quarter for low-income households (30–45% AMI)
The rest for moderate-income families (45–60% AMI) At least half must be two or more bedrooms to support larger households.
What changes will be made to existing affordable housing programs?
The ballot initiative asks the DC Council to amend the Housing Production Trust Fund (DC Code § 42-2802) to serve primarily households earning up to 60% AMI seeking to own their homes. The initiative also aligns definitions across programs like the Affordable Housing Clearinghouse and the Workforce Housing Production Program so that the income limits and affordability standards are consistent.
When would this law take effect?
If approved by voters, the ballot initiative would take effect after a 30-day congressional review, as required by the DC Home Rule Act and would likely become law in March 2027. Should there be unfunded aspects of the ballot initiative, the applicability clause would require the DC Council to fund them before the ballot initiative becomes law. This could delay implementation until the DC Council passes the Fiscal Year 2028 budget, which would make the ballot initiative effective on October 1, 2027.
Who enforces these changes?
The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) will enforce rent freeze and affordability compliance, and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) will oversee land dispositions. Developers would be required to sign covenants ensuring that affordable housing stays affordable for the life of the lease or permanently.
What are supporters saying?
Supporters argue the measure will:
• Stabilize rents during uncertain economic times
• Ensure affordable housing matches real DC incomes
• Increase housing availability for working families
What do critics say?
Opponents, including some landlords and developers, may argue that a broad rent freeze could discourage private investment or reduce new construction. However, the ballot initiative balances this by linking rent freezes to inflation and providing long-term clarity about affordability rules.
How will this impact current tenants?
If passed, tenants in nearly all rental units—not just rent-controlled ones—would have rent frozen for two years (we were required to exclude renters in federal and DC government owned housing units). Renters would not see any rent hikes even if their landlord already issued a notice for an increase within that period.
Why is this being decided by voters instead of the Council?
The proposal is a voter initiative, meaning it was introduced by DC residents through petition rather than by the DC Council. This approach allows residents to directly shape housing policy on the ballot.
How can I get more involved?
Please fill out the Get Involved form to keep up with the latest from the campaign.