Code of the District of Columbia

§ 47–3503. Exemptions for qualifying lower income homeownership households and cooperative housing associations.

*NOTE: This section includes amendments by temporary legislation that will expire on August 1, 2024. To view the text of this section after the expiration of all emergency and temporary legislation affecting this section, click this link: Permanent Version.*

(a)(1) Deeds to property transferred to a qualifying lower income homeownership household shall be exempt from the deed recordation tax pursuant to § 42-1102, if it meets the requirements of § 47-3502.

(2) Deeds to property transferred to a cooperative housing association, as that term is defined in § 47-803(2), shall be exempt from the deed recordation tax pursuant to § 42-1102, if the cooperative housing association qualifies for the real property tax exemption pursuant to subsection (c) of this section or if a return under oath, certifying the association’s intent to qualify for the real property tax exemption pursuant to subsection (c) of this section within 1 year, accompanies the deed at the time of its offer for recordation.

(3) Recordation of a construction loan deed of trust or mortgage, as that term is defined in § 42-1101(9), or a permanent loan deed of trust or mortgage, as that term is defined in § 42-1101(10), shall be exempt from the deed recordation tax pursuant to § 42-1102, if the property securing the deed of trust or mortgage is owned by or is being simultaneously transferred to a qualifying lower income homeownership household or a cooperative housing association qualified for the real property tax exemption pursuant to subsection (c) of this section or if a return under oath, certifying the association’s intent to qualify for the real property tax exemption pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, within 1 year, accompanies the deed at the time of its offer for recordation.

(b)(1) Transfers of property to a qualifying lower income homeownership household shall be exempt from the transfer tax pursuant to § 47-902, if:

(A) The household meets the requirements of § 47-3502; and

(B) The purchaser in fee simple or the persons acquiring qualified ownership interests under a shared equity financing agreement receive a credit against the purchase price of the property in an amount equal to the total tax which would have been due without regard to this section.

(2) Transfers of property to a cooperative housing association, as that term is defined in § 47-803(2), shall be exempt from the transfer tax pursuant to § 47-902, if:

(A) The cooperative housing association qualifies for the real property tax exemption pursuant to subsection (c) of this section or if a return under oath, certifying the association’s intent to qualify for the real property tax exemption pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, within 1 year, accompanies the deed at the time of its offer for recordation; and

(B) The purchaser receives a credit against the purchase price of the property in an amount equal to the total tax that would have been due without regard to this paragraph.

(c)(1) For purposes of this subsection, the term “cooperative housing association” has the same meaning given the term in § 47-803(2).

(2) Property transferred to a qualifying lower income homeownership household shall be exempt from real property tax pursuant to § 47-1002, if:

(A) The household meets the requirements of § 47-3502; and

(B) In the case of a qualifying lower income homeownership household under § 47-3502(2)(B), the household receives a credit against rent equal to that percentage of the real property tax that would have been due on the property without regard to this section which bears the same relation to the total real property tax that would have been due on the property without regard to this section as 100% minus the percentage of the household’s qualified ownership interest bears to 100%.

(3) The exemption provided by this subsection shall apply to property owned by a cooperative housing association if at least 50% of the dwelling units contained therein are occupied by households which meet the income limitations and conditions of transfer described in § 47-3502 and the credit against rent requirement described in paragraph (2)(B) of this subsection.

(4)(A) The exemption provided by this subsection shall be in effect only until the end of the fifth tax year following the year in which the property was transferred to the household and only so long as the same household is an owner and occupant of the property or in the case of a cooperative housing association, only so long as at least 50% of the dwelling units contained therein are occupied by households which meet the income limitations and conditions of transfer described in § 47-3502 and the credit against rent requirement described in paragraph (2)(B) of this subsection.

(B) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, a homeowner of a condominium unit at the River East at Grandview Condominiums located at 1262 Talbert Street, S.E., situated in Square 5807, Lots 2047 through 2092, for which application to the Lower Income Homeownership Exemption Program was accepted and approved by the Office of Tax and Revenue, shall continue to receive the real property tax exemption prescribed under this subsection through the conclusion of real property tax year 2024 or the period provided in subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, whichever is later; provided, that the condominium unit was occupied by the household or was the owner's principal place of residence, as applicable, immediately prior to evacuation of the unit.

[(4A)] Not Funded.

(5)(A) A real property receiving the exemption under this subsection shall be deemed to be receiving the homestead deduction under § 47-850 or § 47-850.01 for purposes of § 47-864; provided, that there is an approved and current homestead application on file applicable to the entire tax year following the expiration of the exemption.

(B) The application of subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall be limited as follows:

(i) The credit under § 47-864 that may result for the tax year beginning October 1, 2006 shall be nonrefundable and shall be applied to the real property tax owed for the tax year beginning October 1, 2007, and thereafter.

(ii) No credit under § 47-864 shall be allowed for a tax year prior to the tax year beginning October 1, 2006.

(iii) Subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall not apply if the ownership has not been continuous from the date that the exemption provided by this subsection has been validly in effect.