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The largest of Legal Aid DC’s practices, our Housing Law Unit represents residents who are facing eviction, living in poor housing conditions, or trying to exercise their rights as tenants.
This year was especially challenging as tenants faced new threats to their rights and resources. Funding for emergency rental assistance (ERAP) was cut from more than $26 million to $8 million in DC’s budget. And the DC Council passed the RENTAL Act, wide-reaching legislation that rolled back many tenant protections.
Through these troubling policy changes, Legal Aid spoke up for tenants, testifying and working behind the scenes at the DC Council to advocate for additional funding and adjustments to the RENTAL Act. Evictions reached a 10-year high in 2025, and three-quarters of low-income residents spend more than 30% of their income on rent, leaving them extremely burdened by housing costs. DC’s affordable housing programs are underfunded and plagued by administrative issues. On top of that, landlords’ mismanagement can grind processes to a halt — making it even more difficult to navigate the system.
Legal Aid client Ms. Herman*, who had a Section 8 housing voucher, came to us after her landlord sued to evict her for non-payment of rent. But her landlord had misplaced her subsidy paperwork, causing the payments to be halted. The landlord also failed to respond to Ms. Herman’s application for emergency rental assistance that would have lowered her rent balance. At the same time, there were significant issues in her unit, including mold in her kitchen, water leaks from other apartments, and mice. Legal Aid negotiated with her landlord’s counsel, with a focus on protecting her subsidy. Ms. Herman agreed to move out of the building with a clean slate. Her overdue rent was waived, she got back her security deposit, and she was able to find better housing.
*A pseudonym has been used to protect the client’s privacy
“Legal aid services are so important for tenants ... The consistency of having someone stick beside you through all of that is so powerful.” — Shakira Butler
Client Spotlight: Holding a Landlord Accountable
As tenant association president at the Skyline apartments in Southeast DC, Shakira Butler isn’t afraid to speak up for her neighbors. So when her landlord tried to evict her in 2022, she filed a counterclaim based on the prolonged and serious housing conditions issues in the building that threatened residents’ health and safety. After months of back and forth, Skyline agreed to a settlement and promised to make repairs. But not much changed. The case – and Skyline’s refusal to properly address the issues – dragged on, and Ms. Butler and her Legal Aid attorney Jamie Long kept up the fight.
In 2024, the landlord reached another agreement, consenting to be held in contempt and facing steep fines for not making repairs. Even then, it took another six months for all the repairs to be made. By that time, the penalties had climbed to a staggering $123,000. The Court determined that most of that money would be directed to the DC Bar Foundation to fund eviction defense work, with $10,000 going directly to Ms. Butler in addition to her rent being waived. The case, which took over two years to resolve, demonstrates the perseverance it can take from tenants and their attorneys to fight for properties to meet minimum standards.