The Van Ness South Tenants Association today sent a letter to Kimberly Driggins, Executive Director of the Washington Housing Conservancy / Washington Housing Initiative, requesting that her organization halt efforts to pass an “emergency exemption” to the Tenants Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA).
Equity Residential and the Washington Housing Conservancy (WHC), along with Amazon developer RBG Smith, have been in discussions about a possible sale of 3003 Van Ness to the Conservancy, which would deny current residents their legal TOPA rights.
Last Friday, members of the Van Ness South Tenants Association spoke with WHC Executive Director Kimberly Driggins by phone, who provided general information about her organization’s plan to purchase the property. On the call, Ms. Driggins did not say that she would give up efforts to deprive residents of their rights by get the City Council to pass an “emergency exemption” to TOPA.
In a follow-up letter, VNSTA president Harry Gural asks Ms. Driggins to give up efforts to convince the City Council to pass an “emergency exception” to TOPA, while expressing a willingness to discuss the Washington Housing Conservancy’s plans to develop 3003 Van Ness and two other properties held by Equity Residential.
Dear Ms. Driggins,
Thank you for a good introductory phone call last Friday.
Our organization share some common interests – particularly, preserving existing and providing more affordable and workforce housing in Washington, DC. For years, the Van Ness South Tenants Association has been fighting on behalf of a diverse population of seniors, students, young professionals, essential workers, families and others to preserve rent stabilization against aggressive assault, achieving important successes with more to come. The Washington Housing Conservancy, backed by Amazon developer JBG SMITH, presents a novel and interesting concept for providing more affordable and workforce housing.
We also have some differences. For example, we strongly oppose any effort to circumvent the Tenants Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA), depriving the residents of 3003 Van Ness of our legal rights. TOPA provides the appropriate framework for discussing any possible sale of the building. For this reason, we request that you halt attempts to circumvent TOPA so we do not have to take public steps to oppose your efforts, including seeking an injunction if necessary.
(cont.)