Dear Friend,

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We sounded the alarm to make sure there were no threats to the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act, or TOPA, in the proposed 2025 budget -- and we succeeded!

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Our next step is to make sure TOPA is fully funded. The success of TOPA depends on funding. The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and the Housing Production Trust Fund (HPTF) are facing budget cuts that undermines the effectiveness of this critical anti-displacement tool.

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That is why we testified on Monday before the Council's Committee on Housing to:

1) restore HPTF funding to at least $100M,

2) restore full funding to the Neighborhood-based Activities Program,

3) dedicate 25% of HPTF funding to housing preservation, and

4) allocate $30M to the First Right to Purchase Program.?

Follow this link to submit testimony online before 5PM next Monday, April 29th. Copy and paste the sample testimony below into the form, and fill in your experience where it fits!

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Sample testimony:

My name is ________, and I am a DC renter. The proposed FY25 budget cuts for DHCD and HPTF are highly concerning because they will exacerbate displacement, inequality, and the ongoing housing crisis in our city.

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There are four concerns in particular I would like to highlight. First, the proposed $4 million cut to the Neighborhood-based Activities Program. This program is crucial for tenants going through the TOPA process, a program which has been proven to be effective in supporting preservation, keeping communities together, and stopping displacement. This proposed cut would not only affect those who assist residents navigating TOPA, but also those who are housing counselors that help with tenants across the city on a daily basis. Full funding should be restored to this program.

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Second, the First Right to Purchase Program suffers from a lack of funding. This program goes hand-in-hand with TOPA. FRPP provides low-interest loans to tenant associations buying their buildings through TOPA. This program is managed by DHCD, but it has no funding and remained unused for many years. I would ask that $30 million to be allocated to DHCD for FRPP.

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Third, the proposed 40% cut to the Housing Protection Production Trust Fund. We have seen from the past that having the full funding of $100 million or more is crucial to retaining and creating affordable housing in DC. The city needs to prioritize restoring HPTF funds to at least $100 million to ensure affordable and good housing is available for all.

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Lastly, housing preservation through DHCD continues to suffer from a lack of funding. I ask that 25% of HPTF funding be dedicated to preservation. Preservation is extremely important for residents across the city. There are numerous examples of older buildings owned by mission-oriented developers who are willing to undertake large preservation projects, but cannot due to budget constraints. DHCD should be able to provide adequate funding to landlords restoring housing. DC needs to prioritize funding for DHCD dedicated to preservation. The city must support those residents in particular who bear the brunt of increasing rents while housing conditions worsen as a result of poor funding. Thank you.

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In Solidarity,

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