Section 29-7506. EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE - RENT ARREARAGES

 

7506.1Assistance may be authorized to pay a rent arrearage, late fee and associated court fees if each of the following conditions are met:

 

(a)Eviction is imminent and documented by a Landlord and Tenant Court summons or referral, Writ of Restitution, Notice to Vacate, or correspondence from the landlord or his or her agent documenting that the applicant is a tenant and has a current rent arrearage of at least 30 days past due;

 

(b)The arrearage must be that of the applicant. If the lease or rental agreement is not in the applicant's name, he or she must provide documentation that he or she is responsible for the arrearage. Both the applicant and the landlord must agree to change the lease to the applicant's name;

 

(c)Arrearage for any period caused by a rent strike may be paid only if any escrow money is first applied to the arrearage and the applicant agrees to resume regular payment of rent;

 

(d)The arrearage that will be paid with Emergency Rental Assistance funds may not exceed five (5) months; and

 

(e)The total assistance payment (including rent arrearage, late fee and any associated court fees) may not exceed four thousand two hundred fifty dollars ($4,250).

 

7506.2Notwithstanding the requirements in section 7506.1, certain requirements may be waived with respect to the total maximum payment and the number of months of the arrearage which may be paid for with emergency rental assistance funds, if extraordinary circumstances exist.

 

7506.3The requirements in section 7506.1 may be waived up to the maximums specified in section 7506.4, if one (1) or more of the following mitigating factors is determined to exist:

 

(a)The household consists of seven (7) or more members and reasonable alternatives to the existing housing arrangement are not available; or

 

(b)A member of the household has a physical or mental disability, a medically documented incapacity or extended illness to the extent that loss of existing housing would pose a serious threat to the health or safety of the family member.

 

7506.4If the requirements specified in section 7506.3 are met:

 

(a)The total maximum emergency rental assistance payment may be increased from four thousand two hundred fifty dollars ($4,250) to six thousand dollars ($6,000); and

 

(b)The arrearage that may be paid with emergency rental assistance funds may exceed five (5) months, if the total amount does not exceed the total maximum amount specified in paragraph (a) of this subsection.

 

source

Final Rulemaking published at 54 DCR 12622 (December 28, 2007).