$1B in Rent Lost; D.C. Landlords Demand Council Action on Rental Act

Landlords report $1B in losses since Sept. 2021; demand Council restore hearing deadlines and protective orders to Rental Act.

WASHINGTON , DC, UNITED STATES, September 15, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- District landlords have lost over $1 billion in rent since the end of the national eviction moratorium in September 2021, according to a new report from the Small Multifamily & Rental Owners Association (SMOA). The findings will be released at a Rally & Press Conference on Tuesday, Sept. 16, at 1:00 PM at the D.C. Council (District Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW), where landlords from across the city will demand Council action.

A Crisis Unique to D.C.

While other jurisdictions rolled back pandemic-era tenant protections, the District has not. As a result, Small landlords, nonprofits, and large affordable housing providers are facing unprecedented losses and now at risk of default, threatening to reduce the city’s affordable housing.

The report shows 15–25% of tenants remain delinquent, with arrears of $18,000–$28,800 per household. Forty one percent of the D.C. Housing Finance Agency’s affordable housing portfolio is in financial distress.

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser introduced the RENTAL Act, a comprehensive bill intended to reform DC landlord and tenant laws. But housing providers say the Council, led by Housing Committee Chairman Robert White, has stripped out its most critical provisions, leaving the legislation too weak to resolve the crisis.

Council’s Bill Falls Short

SMOA warns that without restoring two provisions from the Mayor’s original bill, the crisis will worsen:

Mandatory Court Hearing Deadlines (60 days) — achievable if the Court ends its virtual calendar and returns to in-person proceedings.

Mandatory Protective Orders — requiring tenants to pay ongoing rent into the Court registry while litigation is pending.

“They have made it impossible to collect rent, evict non-paying tenants, or run an affordable housing business. Without deadlines and protective orders, this bill does nothing to resolve the crisis, and affordable housing will continue to collapse,” said Dean Hunter, CEO of SMOA.

In a letter to Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, Mayor Bowser underscored the need for protective orders, writing: “In order to ensure that housing providers can cover costs and maintain housing operations, the bill must require tenants to pay rent during eviction litigation. That is why I support requiring protective orders to be issued in nonpayment cases, unless the court makes a specific finding that such an order would be unjust.”

Landlords Speak Out

“I own a six-unit building in Ward 5, and I have tenants who haven’t paid rent in more than two years. Between them, I’m carrying over $80,000 in lost rent. If I don't get some relief soon, I can’t pay my mortgage or keep up with basic repairs,” said Jessie Williams, a D.C. housing provider.

"Our portfolio losses have grown from just under $700,000 in 2019 to more than $11 million this year. At one of our flagship affordable properties, 58 apartments were leased in 2025 to pre-qualified tenants — yet 33% are already delinquent. Many know they can live rent-free for nearly two years, and some cases have stretched to five years without payment.” said Michael Huke, of CIH Properties, an affordable housing provider with 2,000 units in the District.

Event Details

What: Press Conference & $1 Billion Loss Report Release
When: Tuesday, September 16, 2025 — 1:00 PM
Where: District Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, D.C.
Who: Small Multifamily & Rental Owners Association (SMOA)

RSVP Here
Read the Full Report
Tell The Council Fix The Rental Act

About SMOA

The Small Multifamily & Rental Owners Association (SMOA) represents more than 15,000 small landlords and housing providers in Washington, D.C. Together, SMOA members supply the largest share of the city’s Naturally Occurring Affordable Housing (NOAH) and advocate for policies that preserve affordable homes while protecting small housing providers.

Dean Hunter
Small Multifamily & Rental Owners Association
email us here

SMOA’s two-minute documentary trailer, Rent Burdened, highlights the $1B in rent losses and the urgent need for Council action on the Rental Act.

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