D.C. Law 22-103. Office-to-Affordable-Housing Task Force Establishment Act of 2018.

AN ACT

To establish an Office-to-Affordable-Housing Task Force to determine whether transitioning existing vacant commercial office space to affordable residential housing units would help address the District of Columbia's affordable housing crisis.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may be cited as the "Office-to-Affordable-Housing Task Force Establishment Act of 2018".

Sec. 2. Establishment.

There is established an Office-to-Affordable-Housing Task Force ("Task Force") to determine whether transitioning existing vacant commercial office space to affordable residential housing units would help address the District of Columbia's affordable housing crisis.

Sec. 3. Membership.

(a)(1) The Task Force shall be composed of the following 9 members:

(A) A low-income renter;

(B) A representative of an apartment building owner or office building owner;

(C) A representative of an organization that advocates for the production, preservation, and rehabilitation of affordable housing for low-income households;

(D) A representative of a philanthropic organization that funds affordable housing;

(E) A representative of an organization that provides supportive housing services to low-income residents, including housing counseling, financial management, in-kind assistance, or legal representation;

(F) A representative with expertise in affordable housing policy from the academic or nonprofit community;

(G) A representative from the for-profit residential development community;

(H) A residential architect; and

(I) A structural engineer.

(2) One representative each from the following District agencies shall also serve on the Task Force:

(A) The Office of the Deputy Mayor of Planning and Economic Development;

(B) The Office of Zoning; and

(C) The Department of Housing and Community Development.

(b)(1) The Mayor may appoint the Task Force members identified in subsection (a)(1) of this section; provided, that after 90 days from the date this act becomes applicable pursuant to section 6, the Chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia shall appoint a member to any position that the Mayor has not yet filled.

(2) The Mayor may appoint the chair of the Task Force; provided, that the Chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia shall appoint the chair if the Mayor has not done so within 90 days after the date this act becomes applicable pursuant to section 6 .

(c) Each member shall serve without compensation, except that members may receive reimbursement for expenses incurred in the service of the Task Force.

(d) The Office of the Deputy Mayor of Planning and Economic Development shall provide administrative support for the Task Force.

(e) The Task Force shall meet monthly.

Sec. 4. Report.

Within 120 days after the appointment of the appointed members, the Task Force shall submit a report to the Mayor and the Council that addresses the following:

(1) Whether transitioning vacant commercial office space to affordable housing units, including units with multiple bedrooms, would help address the District of Columbia's affordable housing crisis;

(2) Any legislative, regulatory, zoning, or policy changes that the Task Force recommends making to promote the transition of vacant commercial office buildings to affordable housing units, including units with multiple bedrooms; and

(3) Any costs to the District and property owners associated with the recommended changes and recommendations on how to fund such costs.

Sec. 5. Sunset.

This act shall expire as of the date the Task Force submits the report required by section 4 to the Mayor and the Council.

Sec. 6. Applicability.

(a) This act shall apply upon the date of inclusion of its fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan.

(b) The Chief Financial Officer shall certify the date of the inclusion of the fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan, and provide notice to the Budget Director of the Council of the certification.

(c)(1) The Budget Director shall cause the notice of the certification to be published in the District of Columbia Register.

(2) The date of publication of the notice of the certification shall not affect the applicability of this act.

Sec. 7. Fiscal impact statement.

The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a).

Sec. 8. Effective date.

This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of Columbia Register.