Keyhold Insights
DC landlord guides & the RENTAL Act of 2025
Straight talk on DC's new rental law, evictions, TOPA, and the Housing Choice Voucher program — written by a licensed DC/MD/VA agent and voucher landlord. Not legal advice; always confirm with DC counsel.
Public Housing Repositioning and the Right to Return: What It Means for Voucher Demand in DC
As DC repositions aging public housing, more households arrive with vouchers. The RENTAL Act's new resident protections shape how — and why it matters to owners.
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In this guide
The RENTAL Amendment Act of 2025 added resident protections when DC public housing subsidies are repositioned — including a right to return for households moved to vouchers. What it means for HCV landlords and voucher demand.
3 min read · Keyhold Team
RENTAL Amendment Act of 2025: Frequently Asked Questions for DC Landlords
Short, straight answers to the RENTAL Act questions we hear most from DC owners — from notice length to TOPA to what changes for voucher rentals.
3 min read·Read →
RENTAL Act Compliance Checklist for DC Landlords (2026)
Turn the RENTAL Act into a to-do list. Here's what to update in your notices, leases, and sale process this year — with the voucher-specific items called out.
3 min read·Read →
TOPA Exemptions for Affordable and LIHTC Buildings Under the RENTAL Act
For affordable and LIHTC owners, the RENTAL Act's TOPA exemptions are a quiet win — investor moves and credit-period transfers that used to trigger TOPA often no longer do.
3 min read·Read →
Voucher Nonpayment in DC: Using the Faster Notice on the Tenant Portion
DCHA pays the HAP portion like clockwork. When the tenant's own share goes unpaid, here's how the RENTAL Act's new tools apply.
3 min read·Read →
The DC Voucher Landlord Guide for 2026: Rent, HQS, and the New Eviction Timelines
Everything a DC voucher landlord needs in one place for 2026 — the rent, the inspection, the paperwork, and the post-RENTAL-Act eviction timelines.
3 min read·Read →
How to Serve a DC Nonpayment Notice Correctly in 2026
The notice length changed and so did the service method. Here's exactly how to serve a DC nonpayment notice in 2026 so the case actually moves.
3 min read·Read →
The New DCHA Board Now Includes a Voucher Holder — Why HCV Landlords Should Care
Title VI rebuilt the DCHA board and, for the first time, reserved a seat for someone who's held a voucher. Governance sounds abstract — here's why it matters to owners.
3 min read·Read →
Selling a DC Rental Property Under the New TOPA Rules
Selling a tenant-occupied DC building still runs through TOPA — but the process changed. Here's the 2026 sequence, from checking for an exemption to filing the contract.
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TOPA's New Notice of Transfer Rules: What Triggers (and Doesn't Trigger) Tenant Purchase Rights
Not every transfer is a TOPA 'sale' anymore. Here's the new map of what triggers tenant purchase rights, what only needs a Notice of Transfer, and what's fully exempt.
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TOPA Reform 2025: The 15-Year New-Construction Exemption Explained
For the first time, DC exempts newly built rental housing from TOPA — for 15 years after the certificate of occupancy. Here's the rule and the one thing you must not forget.
3 min read·Read →
Public-Safety Evictions Under the RENTAL Act: Faster Removal for Violent Crime
When a tenant or occupant commits a violent crime in the unit, the RENTAL Act gives landlords a 10-day notice and a hearing within 20 days — with careful protections for victims.
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Court Registry Rent Deposits: DC's New Protective Order for Nonpayment Cases
The reform DC landlords wanted most: a way to make a tenant keep paying rent — into the court registry — while a nonpayment case is litigated.
3 min read·Read →
How the RENTAL Act Affects DC Voucher (Section 8 / HCV) Landlords
Most coverage of the RENTAL Act ignores voucher landlords. Here's exactly what changes — and doesn't — when your tenants pay with a Housing Choice Voucher.
4 min read·Read →
DC Cut the Nonpayment Eviction Notice from 30 Days to 10 Days
For years, DC made you wait 30 days before filing a nonpayment case. The RENTAL Act cuts that to 10 — but only if you serve the notice the new way.
3 min read·Read →
The RENTAL Amendment Act of 2025: What Every DC Landlord Needs to Know
Mayor Bowser signed the RENTAL Amendment Act on November 13, 2025 — the biggest rebalancing of DC landlord-tenant law in years. Here's the whole thing in plain English.
4 min read·Read →
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