§ 42-3401.02. Purposes.

In enacting this chapter, the Council of the District of Columbia supports the following statutory purposes:

(1) 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;

(2) To preserve rental housing which can be afforded by lower income tenants in the District;

(3) To prevent lower income elderly tenants and tenants with disabilities from being involuntarily displaced when their rental housing is converted;

(4) To provide incentives to owners, who convert their rental housing, to enable lower income non-elderly tenants and tenants without disabilities to continue living in their current units at costs they can afford;

(5) To provide relocation housing assistance for lower income tenants who are displaced by conversions;

(6) To encourage the formation of tenant organizations;

(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

(7) To authorize necessary actions consistent with the findings and purposes of this chapter.