Purposes.

In enacting this chapter, the Council of the District of Columbia supports the following statutory purposes: To discourage the displacement of tenants through conversion or sale of rental property, and to strengthen the bargaining position of tenants toward that end without unduly interfering with the rights of property owners to the due process of law; To preserve rental housing which can be afforded by lower income tenants in the District; To prevent lower income elderly and disabled tenants from being involuntarily displaced when their rental housing is converted; To provide incentives to owners, who convert their rental housing, to enable low income non-elderly and non-disabled tenants to continue living in their current units at costs they can afford; To provide relocation housing assistance for lower income tenants who are displaced by conversions; To encourage the formation of tenant organizations; To balance and, to the maximum extent possible, meet the sometimes conflicting goals of creating homeownership for lower income tenants, preserving affordable rental housing, and minimizing displacement; and To authorize necessary actions consistent with the findings and purposes of this chapter. Amendment of section by Law 10-144: Section 2 (b) of D.C. Law 10-144 purported to amend this section by inserting (6A) to read as follows: “In enacting this chapter, the Council of the District of Columbia supports the following statutory purposes: (6A) To balance and, to the maximum extent possible, meet the sometimes conflicting goals of creating homeownership for lower income tenants, preserving affordable rental housing, and minimizing displacement; and”. Reenactment of Law 3-86: See Historical and Statutory Notes following § 42-3401.01.