Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today introduced the Secure Apartments For Everyone (SAFE) Regulation Amendment Act to improve safety and reduce incidents of crime at District apartment complexes. Each apartment building has unique characteristics and challenges, and the SAFE Act sets forth a series of interventions that allow District tenants, owners, and government agencies to work together to identify building-specific problems and implement solutions that will make communities safer in the short and long term.

“Every Washingtonian deserves to feel safe in their home,” said Attorney General Schwalb.  “The SAFE Act offers a preventive, proactive suite of tools to address security concerns and enhance the District’s ability to work with tenants and landlords to develop tailored plans to address the needs of each building.”

The SAFE Act:

• Expands the scope of the Nuisance Abatement Act to include serious crimes involving guns, enhancing OAG’s ability to enforce the Nuisance Abatement Act in situations where crimes of violence or dangerous crimes involving a firearm are occurring at a property.
   
• Mandates on-site security assessments by the Department of Buildings for any property where one of the following thresholds has been met:
  • 2 seizures of controlled substances within a three-month period;
  • 2 seizures of firearms within a six-month period; or
  • 2 arrests for crimes of violence or dangerous crimes committed at the property within a six-month period
     
• Following a security assessment, requires the Department of Buildings to issue a report detailing specific measures that should be taken to address safety concerns.
   
  • This report must be shared with the Office of the Attorney General, the Office of the Tenant Advocate, the associated Advisory Neighborhood Commission and Ward Councilmember office, and the president of any applicable tenant association.
     
• Requires all rental properties with 5 or more units to maintain self-closing and self-locking exterior doors and adhere to minimum standards for exterior lighting.

Changes to the Nuisance Abatement Act will enable the DC Superior Court to order a security assessment of a potential nuisance property to help determine the most appropriate measures and course of action and will also clarify financial damages that landlords who maintain nuisance properties may be ordered to pay, including up to $1,000 for each day that a nuisance remains unresolved for the first 30 days and up to $5,000 per day for each subsequent day.

Read the full bill here.

Resources for Tenants 
OAG works to ensure that residents across the District have access to safe and affordable housing and holds landlords accountable if they violate the law. Access OAG’s resources to help renters for guidance on how to report problems with your landlord or your housing conditions.

If you believe you were denied housing because you use a voucher or subsidy, or were illegally discriminated against, reach out to OAG’s Civil Rights Section at 202-442-9828 or OAGCivilRights@dc.gov