Do You Rent Your Property for Short-Term? You Need To Know About This Hearing!

Tomorrow at 10 a.m. there will be a hearing on legislation proposed by D.C. Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie (Ward 5) regarding short-term rentals in the city.

The new legislation aims to put a number of restrictions and regulations on short-term rentals. The item that will alarm just about anyone who has been renting out their basement as a short-term rental is that the new legislation would limit you to renting it for a maximum of 15 days a year, cumulatively. There is no cap on “home-sharing while the owner is present, including offering private rooms and shared spaces.” It is unclear to me at this time if “present” means in the District or actually in the same residence, and how that will apply to a separate unit in your residence, such as the basement unit to your residence.

You can read more about the bill and subscribe to updates about it here.

When: 10:00 a.m. THIS WEDNESDAY, April 26th.

Where: Room 500 at the John A. Wilson Building at 1350 Pennsylvania Ave, NW.

How: You can either attend in person or send in a written statement:

1. Testify in person at the hearing. In order to do so, you MUST call the Committee of the Whole at 202-724-8196 or email Randi Powell, Policy Advisor at COW@DCCOUNCIL.US.
2. Send in written statement. If you are unable to testify at the hearing, written statements will be accepted and will be part of the official record. Submit them by 5pm, Wednesday, May 10, 2017. Mail them to Committee of the Whole, Council of the District of Columbia, Suite 410 of the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20004.
3. Contact your council member:

Councilmember Charles Allen: callen@dccouncil.us
Chairman Phil Mendelson: pmendelson@dccouncil.us
Councilmember Trayon White, Sr.: twhite@dccouncil.us
Councilmember Vincent C. Gray: vgray@dccouncil.us
Councilmember Brianne K. Nadeau: bnadeau@dccouncil.us
Councilmember Jack Evans: jevans@dccouncil.us
Councilmember Mary M. Cheh: mcheh@dccouncil.us
Councilmember Brandon T. Todd: btodd@dccouncil.us
Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie: kmcduffie@dccouncil.us
Councilmember Anita Bonds: abonds@dccouncil.us
Councilmember David Grosso: dgrosso@dccouncil.us
Councilmember Elissa Silverman: esilverman@dccouncil.us
Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr.: rwhite@dccouncil.us