In the interest of preserving affordable supply, the District can purchase apartment buildings that would otherwise sell to private developers.
In Washington, D.C., tenants can prevent the sale of an apartment building by banding together to buy it themselves. The Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) is D.C.'s "best known tenant protection legislation," Carolyn Gallaher writes. But it also has a lesser known sibling that has never been used: the District Opportunity to Purchase Act (DOPA).
"It was designed as a safety net for TOPA. If tenants could not make TOPA work, the city could refuse the sale and preserve the building as affordable housing. In other words, if the tenants' attempt (TOPA) fails, the District (DOPA) would step in and act like a tenant association would: strike a bargain with a developer and preserve some affordable homes."
DOPA passed in 2008, but officials are only now writing implementation regulations. In Greater Greater Washington, Gallaher outlines the different ways the law could play out—covering what might merit public intervention in a building sale, whether the city would partner with a developer or become the building's landlord, and more.
FULL STORY: Passed in 2008, this affordable housing law has never been used. Now DC is finally getting ready for DOPA.
California Won't Extend Eviction Moratorium
State lawmakers did not extend the state's eviction ban, which ends on September 30, putting the future of hundreds of thousands of households in jeopardy.
Rent Control Debated in the Nation's Capital
District council members and local tenant advocates are engaged in a bit of tug of war about how far the District should go to limit the amount landlords can raise rents.
Housing on the Agenda as Philadelphia Election Approaches
In the run-up to a municipal primary scheduled for May 21, Philadelphia's City Council has introduced a range of bills to address housing affordability and tenants' rights.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie