Public Hearing on 2 Bills to Help Senior Citizens

On Wednesday, October 21, 2020, Councilmember Anita Bonds, Chairperson of the Committee on Housing & Neighborhood Revitalization, will hold a public hearing on Bill 23-0537 and Bill 23-0643. The hearing will take place via a web conferencing platform at 9:00 AM. The hearing can be also be viewed at http://www.dccouncil.us and http://entertainment.dc.gov.

The purpose of Bill 23-0537 is to establish a Senior Co-Living Program within the Department of Housing and Community Development to provide financial assistance to support senior homeowners to rent spare rooms to other senior residents. The bill requires homeowners to include proof that the applicant is 60 years or older and that the residence is the applicant’s primary place of residence and that it is owned by the applicant.

The purpose of Bill 23-0643 is to require housing providers to provide air conditioning equipment that can maintain a room temperature of 78 degrees Fahrenheit or below to units that are rented by elderly tenants and tenants with a disability, upon request by the tenant. With the global rise in temperature, both groups are increasingly at risk of the consequences of heat-related illnesses.

If someone is unable to testify at the public hearing, written statements are encouraged and will be made a part of the official record. Written statements should be submitted to the Committee on Housing and Neighborhood Revitalization, John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Suite G6, Washington, D.C. 20004 or by email at housing@dccouncil.us. The record will close at 5:00 p.m. on Friday, October 23, 2020.