The Bad-Faith Complaint Reform and Housing Fairness Amendment Act of 2025

To amend The RENTAL Act of 2025 to protect tenants and housing providers from abuse of the complaint process, to ensure government resources are directed toward genuine safety concerns, and to restore fairness and accountability to the District of Columbia’s housing system.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the “The Bad-Faith Complaint Reform and Housing Fairness Amendment Act of 2025.”

SECTION 2. FINDINGS.

The Council of the District of Columbia finds that:

1. The complaint system has become vulnerable to abuse through repeated, frivolous, or anonymous filings that waste city resources.

2. The Bad-faith complaints delay legitimate housing repairs, overwhelm inspectors, and create a backlog that harms both tenants and landlords.

3. The District has an obligation to protect vulnerable tenants, while also preventing manipulation of the system that harms honest participants.

4. Balanced reform will ensure that inspectors focus on real safety concerns, while holding bad-faith actors accountable.

SECTION 3. DEFINITIONS.

For purposes of this Act:

• “Bad-faith complaint” means a complaint filed with deliberate intent to harass, obstruct, retaliate, or mislead, including repeated or knowingly false complaints.

• “Anonymous complaint” means a complaint filed without the name and contact information of the filer, unless the filer demonstrates good cause for anonymity.

SECTION 4. AMENDMENT TO COMPLAINT PROCESS.

(a) No District agency shall be required to investigate anonymous complaints, unless the filer demonstrates clear evidence of imminent health or safety risks.

(b) Individuals who file more than three (3) unsubstantiated complaints within a 12-month period shall be subject to a civil fine of not less than $100 and not more than $1,000 per additional filing.

(c) Agencies shall track complaint history by filer, including disposition and outcome, and make such records publicly available in anonymized aggregate form.

(d) Any finding of bad-faith complaint activity may be referred to the Office of the Attorney General for further civil or criminal enforcement.

SECTION 5. OFFICE OF THE LANDLORD ADVOCATE.

(a) The Office of the Landlord Advocate (OLA) is hereby established as an independent body to:

• Provide assistance to small housing providers facing repeated or bad-faith complaints.

• Serve as a counterbalance to the Office of the Tenant Advocate (OTA).

• Review complaint data and issue annual reports on misuse of the system.

(b) The Office shall be citizen-accessible and authorized to make recommendations to the Council on housing enforcement reforms.

SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE.

This Act shall take effect upon inclusion in The RENTAL Act of 2025, following approval by the Mayor (or Council override) and publication in the District of Columbia Register.