5515340 Public Hearing on B21-173, Elderly and Tenants with Disabilities Protection Amendment Act of 2015, and B21-131, Senior Foster Care Establishment Act of 2015

 

Councilmember Anita Bonds, Chairperson
Committee on Housing and Community Development

Announces a Public Hearing of the Committee on

B21-0173, the “Elderly and Tenants with Disabilities Protection Amendment Act of 2015”

and

B21-0131, the “Senior Foster Care Establishment Act of 2015”

on

                                                Monday, June 29, 2015, at 10:00 AM                                               

John A. Wilson Building, Room 500

1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW

                                                           Washington, DC 20004                      

 

Councilmember Anita Bonds, Chairperson of the Committee on Housing and Community Development, will hold a public hearing on B21-0173, the “Elderly and Tenants with Disabilities Protection Amendment Act of 2015” and B21-0131, the “Senior Foster Care Establishment Act of 2015”. The public hearing will be held on Monday, June 29, 2015, at 10:00 AM in Room 500 of the John A. Wilson Building.

 

The purpose of B21-0173, the “Elderly and Tenants with Disabilities Protection Amendment Act of 2015”, is to exempt low-income elderly and tenants with disabilities from rent increases resulting from the following petitions:  Hardship, Services and Facilities, Substantial Rehabilitation, and Voluntary Agreements. The bill adds the Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) to the existing maximum annual cap on rent increases for low-come elderly and tenants with a disability. With the addition of the Social Security COLA, the landlord may only raise the rent to the least of the COLA, or to 5 percent of the current rent, or to the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W). This bill also raises the maximum annual income of an elderly or tenant with a disability who is exempt from these housing provider petitions from $40,000 to $50,000. Additionally, the bill prohibits rent increases whenever a housing provider has failed to: (1) provide proper notice to elderly and tenants with disabilities about their eligibility for the lower cap on an annual rent increase, or (2) where a non-resident owner has failed to appoint and maintain a registered agent in the District. Finally, the bill permits a tenant to establish elderly or disability status by presenting to a housing provider a completed government registration form, along with the minimum information necessary to demonstrate status qualification.

The purpose of B21-0131, the “Senior Foster Care Establishment Act of 2015”, is to require that the Mayor establish a senior foster care system set up to allow for the supervision and personal care of seniors, who require assistance with activities of daily living, supervision, or self-administration of medications. This bill, as introduced, also allows the Mayor to determine the funding, case management, eligibility determination, and placement responsibilities for this senior foster care system.

Those who wish to testify are requested to telephone the Committee on Housing and Community Development, at [phone], or email [e-mail], and provide their name, address, telephone number, organizational affiliation and title (if any), by close of business on June 28, 2015.  Persons wishing to testify are encouraged to submit 15 copies of written testimony. Oral testimony should be limited to three minutes for individuals and five minutes for organizations.

 

If you are unable to testify at the public hearing, written statements are encouraged and will be made a part of the official record.  Written statements should be submitted to the Committee on Housing and Community Development, John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite 112, Washington, D.C. 20004. The record will close at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 14, 2015.