Code of the District of Columbia

§ 42–3171.03. Disposal of abandoned or deteriorated property.

(a) The Mayor may dispose of abandoned or deteriorated property acquired under § 42-3171.02, or acquired by any other means, including property the Mayor has altered or improved, through a competitive process or through a negotiated sale; provided, that:

(1) Before disposition of the property, there shall be a public hearing on the proposed terms and conditions of the disposition after at least 30 days public notice; or

(2) The Mayor shall transmit to the Council for a 60-day period of review, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, legal holidays, and days of Council recess, a proposed resolution providing for the disposition of the property. The proposed resolution shall contain a description of the property to be disposed of and the proposed method and terms and conditions of the disposition. If the Council does not approve or disapprove the proposed resolution within the 60-day period, the proposed resolution shall be deemed approved.

(b)(1) The Mayor may dispose of property acquired under § 42-3171.02 through a request for offers from adjacent property owners. Before accepting an offer under this subsection, the Mayor shall notify adjacent property owners:

(A) That they may make an offer to the Mayor to purchase the property within a time period established by the Mayor;

(B) Of the minimum acceptable purchase price and any mandatory terms or conditions of an acceptable offer; and

(C) That the offer shall be in writing and contain such information as the Mayor may by regulation prescribe.

(2) If only one adjoining property owner offers to purchase the property at or above the minimum acceptable purchase price and the offer meets all mandatory terms and conditions of an acceptable offer, the Mayor shall accept the offer.

(3) If more than one adjoining property owner offers to purchase the real property at or above the minimum acceptable purchase price and the offers meet all mandatory terms and conditions of an acceptable offer, the Mayor shall accept the offer with the highest purchase price.

(c) In transferring a property, the Mayor may forgive up to 50% of the amount of any outstanding taxes owed on the property, and may forgive in full any penalties or interest accrued on the taxes owed, if the property is transferred to a low-income household or to a nonprofit housing entity providing housing opportunities to low-income households; provided, that:

(1) The transferee, if a low-income household, shall maintain the property as his or her principal place of residence for at least 5 years;

(2) The transferee, if a nonprofit housing entity, shall:

(A) If the property is developed for homeownership opportunities, require that each homeowner maintain the property as his or her principal place of residence for at least 5 years;

(B) If the property is developed for rental opportunities, maintain the rental units as units affordable to, and occupied by, low-income, very low-income, or extremely low-income households for not less than 20 years; and

(3) The transferee shall complete rehabilitation of the property within 18 months after the property is transferred.

(d) If a property is disposed of pursuant to this section by means other than a proposed resolution pursuant to subsection (a)(2) of this section, the Mayor shall transmit to the Council within 10 business days of settlement a description of the property and a summary of the terms and conditions of the disposition.