While housing costs increased faster than wages, many D.C. residents are struggling to pay rent. For tenants in rent-stabilized buildings, a recent law signed by the D.C. Council provided a temporary relief, but also created frustration among small landlords, who say they’re being pushed to the brink.

The Rent Stabilized Housing Inflation Protection Continuation Act of 2025 was enacted earlier this year to protect tenants in rent-regulated apartments from large rent increases linked to inflation. The law caps the annual increase in rent at the inflation rate or six percent, whichever is lower. The threshold for seniors and disabled tenants is three percent.

After pandemic-fueled layoffs and surging consumer prices left thousands of renters facing eviction. D.C. lawmakers approved the extension of the measure in 2025, calling it an essential protection amid the city’s current affordability crisis.

The bill’s supporters argue that it gives renters some space as the city works on long-term solutions to expand affordable housing. Opponents, however, argue that it places landlords, especially small building owners, in a panic to cover ends for maintenance, taxes, and mortgages.

The Rent Stabilized Housing Inflation Protection Continuation Act addresses a specific problem that developed as inflation accelerated after 2021. Based on previous legislation, rent increases in stabilized housing were tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which allowed a spike in inflation to permit landlords to raise rents as much as eight percent.

Tenant activists pushed back, arguing such increases would push thousands out of their homes. The D.C. Council voted instead for a cap that holds rent growth to inflation or six percent, whichever is lower. The extension that was approved earlier this year maintains those limits while city officials research its impact.

Councilmember Robert White, who introduced the legislation, was not available for comment, despite this other District leaders have emphasized the need for safe, stable housing.

Housing activists observe that even though the measure is temporary relief, it’s not a permanent solution. And even though rent control lessens displacement, it does not create new housing. For D.C.’s hundreds of thousands, the rent cap has been the option of staying housed and falling behind.

Chimere Bryant, a Langdon resident, said her life changed when her husband became disabled and their two-income household dropped to one. “Our apartment complex sued me in order to proceed with eviction,” she said.

Residents across Wards 5 and 7 say stories like theirs show why the city’s rent cap is needed to prevent displacement and hold landlords accountable.

In Fort Lincoln, Jada Robinson said her landlord continues raising the rent despite conditions that continue to decline. “There’s mold, rats, and the appliances barely work,” she said. “The carpet collects so much dust, and then the slumlord has the nerve to raise his rent.”

Jada said she plans to take her landlord to court after being forced to pay a $600 water bill caused by a maintenance issue.

Councilmember Trayon White Sr. said, “Every resident deserves to live in a home that is safe, clean, and dignified—no excuses. The people who call these properties home deserve results, not promises.”

While tenants see the law as protection, landlords say it’s made property management more difficult.

Nancy Parris, a small property owner in Hill East, said D.C.’s housing court system leaves landlords paying for months of missed rent. “Landlords are often looked upon as villains,” she said. “The system allows renters to rack up back rent they’ll never be able to pay, and the landlord is stuck with the bill.”

Tanya Hutchins from Lamond Riggs said one tenant’s nonpayment nearly caused her to lose her house. “If the tenant can’t pay rent, the landlord can’t pay the mortgage,” she said. “I lost almost $9,000. The struggle is real.”

Some small landlords argue the law doesn’t take their financial strain into account. Many have called for city programs or tax credits to offset costs caused by rising property taxes and repair expenses.

D.C.’s rent stabilization laws date back to the 1970s, when housing advocates pushed for limits on rent increases to combat displacement during redevelopment. Today, those same debates continue under new economic pressures.

According to city data, more than 60 percent of D.C. renters spend over a third of their income on housing a level considered “cost-burdened” by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. For Black and Latino citizens, the number is even higher. Most of the city’s lowest-cost neighborhoods, like Deanwood, Petworth, and Brookland, are experiencing rising prices and resident turnover.

The Rent Stabilized Housing Inflation Protection Continuation Act will come before city leaders later this year when they will determine its impact on tenants and landlords. Its supporters hope the Council will make the safeguards codified as permanent, but critics call on lawmakers to consider aid for small owners.

In a city where the median rent for a one-bedroom apartment hovers around $2,300, the stakes remain high.

For residents like Chimere, the law is her survival, “me being a woman and essentially navigating the world in some ways alone because of my husband’s illness. It’s scary being in this neighborhood, but DC forces you to do what you have to do.”

The Council’s next steps could shape the city’s housing future for years to come. Its impact is already being felt in households across the district. For now, both sides are waiting to see if relief or reform will come next.