- D.C. Superior Court dismissed three claims challenging Initiative 88 and entered judgment for the Board of Elections.
- The proposal would freeze rents for two years, add future freezes during high inflation, and revise some affordable-housing requirements.
- Property owners argued the measure exceeded the District’s authority and conflicted with federal housing programs, but the court let it proceed.
A proposed D.C. rent freeze can continue toward a future ballot after a local court rejected a property-owner challenge. D.C. Superior Court dismissed three claims and entered judgment for the Board of Elections, according to Bisnow. The ruling removes a legal hurdle for Initiative No. 88. The measure is formally called the Rent Control and Housing Eligibility Adjustment Act of 2026.
Get Smarter about what matters in CRE
Stay ahead of trends in commercial real estate with CRE Daily – the free newsletter delivering everything you need to start your day in just 5-minutes
D.C. Rent Rules Set the Backdrop
D.C. already limits rent increases for buildings constructed before 1975. The current rule caps increases at the regional consumer price index plus 2 percentage points. Initiative 88 would go further by freezing rents for two years. It would also trigger freezes during future periods of high inflation and change some affordable-housing requirements.
The Details
Two D.C. property owners, James Douglass and Anthony Alexis Lucadamo, sued the Board of Elections in May. Their lawsuit argued the initiative was not a proper ballot subject. According to the complaint, it would regulate all privately owned residential property under an arbitrary rule. The owners also alleged the rent freezes and housing changes would create material conflicts with federal housing programs.
The court dismissed the three claims on Wednesday. Counsel for the plaintiffs did not immediately respond to Bisnow’s request for comment.
Campaign Had Been Delayed by the Lawsuit
More Affordable D.C., the committee behind Initiative 88, said in June that the case had delayed its launch. The group did not immediately comment after the ruling. The National Association of Realtors joined a coalition seeking to file an amicus brief. It said it had no public statement on the decision.
Why It Matters
The case adds D.C. to wider rent-control ballot fights involving courts, campaigns, owners, and tenant groups. The local proposal could materially expand regulation beyond the District’s existing pre-1975 rent-control framework.
What’s Next
The order allows Initiative 88 to move toward a future D.C. ballot, although the source does not provide an election date. Housing policy will also remain central to the city’s next administration. Presumptive mayor-elect Janeese Lewis George has pledged policies aimed at stabilizing rent but has not yet provided specifics.
