In a case argued by Battino & Sokolow attorneys Aaron Sokolow and Vivianette Velazquez, the DC Superior Court has struck DC’s eviction filing ban as unconstitutional. This has a somewhat limited applicability because bans still exist on issuing many notices. However, this ruling is helpful to DC landlords. A story from the Washington Post, in which Aaron Sokolow was quoted, can be found here. The Court Order can be read here.
Today, DC announced a new $10 million rent grant program. Time is of the essence because applications open on Tuesday, December 1, 2020, close on Friday, December 11, 2020, and will be assessed on a rolling basis. The program will pay 80% of the delinquent rent if the landlord waives the remaining 20% and any unpaid fees. The grants will cover up to $2,000 per month since April 2020. You can read more about the program here in today’s Situational Update, starting on page 6. Additional information can be found here. Details on the program are not up on the DC COVID website (https://coronavirus.dc.gov/rent) as of November 30th, and we have not seen an application form, but we have been told to check back tomorrow.
Please contact our office at 202-269-3333 with any questions.
The District of Columbia has established a webpage with information for landlords and tenants and new COVID-19 legislation. Importantly, it also identifies multiple rental assistance programs that can help tenants in paying rent. You can find the site here.
Attorney Aaron Sokolow was recently quoted in a DCist article about the pressures of being a landlord in DC during an eviction moratorium. You can read the article here.
