The Van Ness South Tenants Association today released a letter to City Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, requesting that he not allow an “emergency exemption” to the Tenants Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA), which would deprive residents of 3003 Van Ness of their legal rights. This follows reports that the nonprofit Washington Housing Conservancy, backed by Amazon developer RBG Smith, has lobbied the City Council for an exemption to TOPA that would allow it to purchase 3003 Van Ness, circumventing existing tenants.
VNSTA and other tenant advocates oppose attempts to deny tenants of their legal rights.
Dear Chairman Mendelson,
As the president of the Van Ness South Tenants Association, I am writing to urge you not to support any “emergency” effort to circumvent TOPA in the possible sale and purchase of 3003 Van Ness Street or other properties currently held by Equity Residential.
The apartment buildings at 3003 Van Ness Street are rent-stabilized, and they provide affordable housing opportunities for a diverse population of seniors, families, young professionals, students, and low-income voucher holders. The Van Ness South Tenants Association has fought for many years against Equity Residential for violating DC rent stabilization laws and overcharging tenants. Attorney General Karl Racine recently won a suit against Equity Residential for these violations.
When Equity purchased the building in 2013 it violated TOPA, depriving residents of their legal rights. The tenants association expects that Equity Residential soon will put the building up for sale.
A new nonprofit, the Washington Housing Conservancy, apparently is petitioning the City Council for an “emergency” exemption from TOPA in order to purchase a portfolio of apartment properties in Northwest DC, likely including 3003 Van Ness. The organization’s efforts are backed by the $3.75 billion real estate investment trust JBG SMITH, the developer Amazon HQ2 and National Landing. Such a transaction effectively could transfer control of the property from one REIT to another.