Subdivision 1. General Provisions
Codified through Bill No. CB-018-2026, adopted May 12, 2026, effective July 24, 2026. Source: Municode, Supplement 2026 Update 2. Editorial notes and legislative history omitted.
Subdivision 1. General Provisions
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-135 (2026)
Sec. 13-135. Legislative findingsLinkCopy Citation
The Council finds that there is often unequal bargaining power between landlords and tenants; that the common law principles pursuant to which leases are interpreted as grants of right of possession rather than mutual and dependent covenants are ill-suited and inappropriate when applied to modern residential property; that in order to facilitate fair and equitable arrangements, foster the development of housing which will meet the minimum standards of the present day, and promote the health, safety and welfare of the people, it is necessary and appropriate that this County provide certain minimum rights and remedies, obligations and prohibitions for landlords and tenants in the use and occupancy of certain kinds of rental facilities.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-136 (2026)
Sec. 13-136. Purposes and policiesLinkCopy Citation
(a)
This Division shall be liberally construed and applied to promote its underlying purposes and policies.
(b)
The underlying purposes and policies of this Division are to:
(1)
Supplement the Public General Law governing the rental of dwelling units;
(2)
Encourage landlords and tenants to maintain and improve the quality of housing in this County;
(3)
Assure fair and equitable relations between landlords and tenants insofar as any rights and remedies granted under this Division are not used by landlords and tenants as a means of harassment;
(4)
Revise the common law of landlord and tenant to serve more realistically the needs of an urban society developing within the County.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-137 (2026)
Sec. 13-137. Applicability of ArticleLinkCopy Citation
Subject to any Public General State Laws to the contrary, including, but not limited to, the Real Property Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, this Division shall regulate and determine legal rights, remedies, and obligations of the parties and the beneficiaries of any lease agreement concerning any multifamily rental facility consisting of a building containing three (3) or more rental dwelling units within this County or any single-family rental facility consisting of a building containing one (1) or more rental dwelling units. Any lease agreement entered into after July 1, 1973, shall be unenforceable hereunder insofar as the agreement or any provision thereof conflicts with any provision of this Division. Such unenforceability shall not affect other provisions of the agreement which can be given effect without such unenforceable provision. The provisions of this Division shall apply to all subsequent terms of leases, which terms commence after July 1, 1973.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-138 (2026)
Sec. 13-138. DefinitionsLinkCopy Citation
(a)
For the purposes of this Division (and Division 4):
(1)
Affected Tenant shall mean any tenant whose health, safety, or welfare is, or reasonably may be, impaired by a defective tenancy.
(2)
Age Restricted Senior Housing shall mean any senior facility and/or building that has an age restriction of fifty-five (55) years and older for a lease to live in the facility and/or building.
(2.1)
Banked amount means the dollar amount of an annual rent increase allowance that a landlord did not use to increase the rent for a regulated unit.
(2.2)
Base rent means rent charged for a regulated rental unit under a lease, exclusive of any rental discounts, incentives, concessions, or credits that are:
(A)
offered by the landlord;
(B)
accepted by the tenant; and
(C)
itemized in the lease separate from the rent.
(3)
Bona Fide Complaint, Response, or Effort shall mean a complaint or response or effort made in good faith regarding alleged violations of this Division.
(3.1)
Capital improvements mean permanent structural alterations to a regulated unit intended to enhance the value of the unit. Capital improvements include replacement of major systems, or structural alterations required under federal, state, or County law. Capital improvements do not include ordinary repair or maintenance of existing structures.
(4)
Common Area shall mean all areas and facilities within the facility and/or building that are not designated by landlord or Property Manager for the exclusive use of tenant or any other lessee or other occupant of the facility and/or building, to include the parking areas, access and perimeter roads, pedestrian sidewalks, landscaped areas, trash enclosures, recreation areas, and the like.
(4.1)
CPI-U means the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria Area, published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as determined in the Regulations issued in accordance with this Subdivision.
(5)
Days shall mean calendar days unless otherwise specified.
(6)
Defective Tenancy shall mean any condition in a single-family rental facility or a multifamily rental facility or matter related to its maintenance, use, or occupancy which constitutes a violation of the terms of the lease or any provision of this Division, or constitutes a violation of any applicable Federal, State, County, or municipal law, regulation, or code reasonably related to the maintenance, use, or occupancy of the single-family rental facility or the multifamily rental facility.
(7)
Director shall mean the Director of the County Department of Permitting, Inspections, and Enforcement or designee.
(8)
Dwelling Unit shall mean one (1) or more rooms arranged for the use of one (1) or more individuals living together as a single housekeeping unit, with cooking, living, sanitary, and sleeping facilities as defined by the County Housing Code.
(9)
State of Emergency shall mean the definition provided in Section 14-107 or Section 14-111 of the Public Safety Article of the Maryland Annotated Code.
(9.1)
Garden Style Apartments shall consist of multiple small buildings spread out across one large property on the same parcel, lot, tract, or block of land, and ownership. The Garden Style Apartment includes levels or stories without an elevator.
(10)
High Occupancy Dwelling Facility shall mean any apartment building or group of buildings on the same parcel, lot, tract, block of land, or group of buildings having the same name comprising more than one hundred (100) Dwelling Units that have one or more owners in common.
(11)
Landlord shall mean the legal and equitable owner(s) of a property, or any portion thereof, used or to be used as a single-family rental facility or a multifamily rental facility and shall include, without limitation, a mortgagee, vendee, contract purchaser, assignee of rents, receiver, trustee, executor, personal representative, lessee, or any person, firm, or corporation who manages the multifamily rental facility by contractual agreement with the owner.
(12)
Lease shall mean any written agreement which establishes or modifies the terms, conditions, rules, regulations, or any other provisions concerning the maintenance, use, and occupancy of a rental dwelling unit.
(12.1)
Multifamily dwelling means a building containing four or more dwelling units. Units may be located side by side in a horizontal configuration or stacked one above the other in a vertical configuration, sharing common vertical walls or horizontal floors and ceilings. Multifamily dwelling does not include single family attached or detached houses.
(13)
Multifamily Rental Facility shall mean any building, structure, or combination of related buildings, structures, and appurtenances, operated as a single entity, housing cooperative ("COOP"), or a condominium, in which the landlord provides for a consideration three (3) or more rental dwelling units; but shall not be construed to mean any transient facilities such as boarding houses, tourist homes, inns, motels, hotels, school dormitories, hospitals or medical facilities, any other facilities operated for religious or eleemosynary purposes, continuing care facilities regulated by the State pursuant to Article 70B of the Maryland Annotated Code, and projects authorized under 10 U.S.C. 2828, which allows the U.S. Government to lease housing facilities at or near a military installation for assignment, without rental charge, as family housing for members of the Armed Forces.
(14)
Notice shall mean a written notice unless otherwise specified.
(15)
Property Manager shall mean an individual or company that has been retained to perform and carry out:
(A)
property rentals by advertising and filling vacancies, negotiating and enforcing leases, and maintaining and securing premises;
(B)
establishing rental rate(s) by and calculating overhead costs, depreciation, taxes, and profit goals;
(C)
attracting tenants by advertising vacancies, obtaining referrals from current tenants, explaining advantages of location and services, and showing units;
(D)
contracting with tenants by negotiating leases and collecting security deposit(s);
(E)
accomplishing financial objectives by collecting rents, paying bills, forecasting requirements, preparing budget(s), scheduling expenditures, analyzing variances, and initiating corrective action;
(F)
maintaining property by investigating and resolving tenant complaints, enforcing rules of occupancy, inspecting vacant units and completing repairs, planning renovations, contracting with landscaping and snow removal services;
(G)
maintaining building systems for maintenance services and supervising repairs;
(H)
securing property with security patrol service, installing and maintaining security devices, establishing and enforcing precautionary policies and procedures, and responding to emergencies; or
(I)
enforces occupancy policies and procedures.
(15.1)
Regulated rental unit or regulated unit means a rental unit that is not exempted under Section 13-147.
(16)
Security Measures and Security Equipment shall mean in multi-family rental housing to include, but is not limited to, the maintenance of garages and parking lots, security gates, entryway locks, lighting, security cameras, alarm systems, fencing and any measures designed to keep common areas of the leased premises under the landlord's control in operable condition.
(17)
Senior Lessee shall mean a person at least fifty-five (55) years of age at the time the lease or renewal is offered.
(18)
Single-Family Rental Facility shall mean any building, structure, or combination of related buildings, structures, and appurtenances operated as a single entity or a condominium, in which the landlord provides, for a consideration, one or more rental dwelling units not licensable under the Multifamily Rental Facility provisions; but shall not be construed to mean any transient facilities such as boarding houses, tourist homes, inns, motels, hotels, school dormitories, hospitals or medical facilities, or any other facilities operated for religious or eleemosynary purposes, and projects authorized under 10 U.S.C. 2828, which allows the U.S. Government to lease housing facilities at or near a military installation for assignment, without rental charge, as family housing for members of the Armed Force.
(18.1)
Substantial renovation means permanent alterations to a building that:
(A)
are intended to enhance the value of the building; and
(B)
cost an amount equal to at least 40 percent of the value of the building, as assessed by the State Department of Assessments and Taxation.
(19)
Tenant shall mean any person who occupies a rental dwelling unit for living or dwelling purposes.
(20)
Tenant with Substantial Loss of Income shall mean any person who occupies:
(A)
a rental dwelling unit for living or dwelling purposes; and
(B)
tenant shall mean an existing tenant and does not include a prospective tenant; and
(C)
this new provision is provided for tenants that are able to provide proof through documentation or other objectively verifiable means, that the tenant suffered a Substantial Loss of Income and are therefore unable to make rent payments as a result of the emergency, as defined by the Governor of the State of Maryland's Executive Order Number 20-04-30-01, 20-03-30-01 and 20-05-13-01, as amended and extended by the Governor, and under Section 143A-02 of the Public Safety Article of the Maryland Code.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-139 (2026)
Sec. 13-139. Rent Increases-Limitations and Late Fees or Penalties During Certain Emergencies - ProhibitedLinkCopy Citation
(a)
From the date of adoption, a landlord shall not:
(1)
increase rent in an amount that exceeds two-point six percent (2.6%) per annum of the existing rent amount for any tenant not suffering a loss of income because of the emergency; or
(2)
increase rent for a tenant with substantial loss of income.
(b)
A landlord shall not issue notice of a rent increase, late fees or penalties during an emergency and within 90 days after the expiration of an emergency.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-140 (2026)
Sec. 13-140. Notices of rent adjustments and Rent Payment Plans During the EmergencyLinkCopy Citation
During an emergency, and within 90 days after the expiration of the emergency, a landlord:
(a)
shall not notify a tenant with substantial loss of income of a rent increase; or
(b)
shall inform a tenant with substantial loss of income in writing to disregard any notice of a rent increase if:
(1)
the landlord provided the notice to the tenant with substantial loss of income prior to the emergency; and
(2)
the effective date of the increase would occur on or after the date the emergency began; and
(c)
may offer rent payment plans, in writing, to tenants with substantial loss of income.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-141 (2026)
Sec. 13-141. Late fees or penalties - when prohibitedLinkCopy Citation
(a)
A landlord shall not charge late fees if they apply to payments required during the emergency.
(b)
A landlord shall not charge penalties during the emergency.
(c)
A landlord shall inform a tenant in writing to disregard any late fee or penalty notice if the landlord provided the notice to the tenant during the emergency.
(d)
A landlord may charge the costs of return check fees.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-142 (2026)
Sec. 13-142. Notice of prohibition of certain rent increases, limitations on the rate of certain rent increases, late fees and penaltiesLinkCopy Citation
(a)
Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and Department of Permitting Inspection and Enforcement (DPIE) shall provide information about the requirements of this Subdivision on their respective websites, including the date that the emergency expires, and the date that is 90 days after the expiration of the emergency.
(b)
DHCD and DPIE shall post notice to license holders of the prohibition of rent increases for a tenant that has not suffered a substantial loss of income as defined in CB-16-2020 and CB-52-2020, evictions, late fees or penalties and the two-point six percent (2.6%) per annum limit on rent increases for any tenant that has not suffered a substantial loss of income, within 15 days of the enactment of this bill.
(c)
The DPIE shall exercise the enforcement authority provided pursuant to Sec. 13-102 of Subtitle 13 and Sec. 1-123 of Subtitle 1 of this Code:
(1)
This enforcement authority shall include the authority to impose fines for violations of the provisions of this subtitle, including:
(2)
The authority to impose a penalty in the amount of $500 for the first violation of the provisions of Sec. 13-139 through 13-142 of this Subtitle; and
(3)
The authority to impose a penalty in the amount of $1000 for any subsequent violation of the provisions of Sec. 13-139 through 13-142 of this Subtitle; and
(4)
Any penalty collected shall be distributed to the general fund.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-143 (2026)
Sec. 13-143. Evictions are Prohibited for Non-Payment of RentLinkCopy Citation
(a)
A landlord shall not evict for non-payment of rent by a tenant that occupies a dwelling unit for living or dwelling purposes;
(b)
this new provision shall apply to any pending eviction proceedings not initiated before the COVID 19 emergency.
(c)
As a result, any pending eviction proceedings, for non-payment of rent, not initiated before the COVID 19 emergency shall be suspended until the duration of the emergency; and
(d)
new complaints filed against tenants for failure to pay rent shall be prohibited during the duration of the emergency;
(e)
this new provision applies from date of the Governor of the State of Maryland's Executive Order Number 20-04-03-01 until August 31, 2020.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-144 (2026)
Sec. 13-144. Annual rent increase allowanceLinkCopy Citation
(a)
Annual rent increase allowance. The Director annually shall calculate a rent increase allowance for regulated rental units applicable to rental lease renewals equal to the lesser of:
(1)
CPI-U plus 3 percent; or
(2)
6 percent.
(3)
Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsections (1) and (2) of this Subsection, the rent increase allowance for a regulated unit in an age restricted senior housing facility with a twelve (12) or twenty-four (24) month lease may not exceed the lesser of the CPI-U or 4.5 percent.
(b)
Duration. A rent increase allowance under Subsection (a) remains in effect for a 12-month period, beginning July 1st of each year and ending on June 30th of the following year.
(c)
By May 1st of each year, DPIE shall provide notice to the public of the annual rent increase allowance under Subsection (a), above, that will become effective on July 1st of that year.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-145 (2026)
Sec. 13-145. Rent increases — in general; vacant units; limited surcharges for capital improvementsLinkCopy Citation
(a)
In general. Except as provided under Subsection (b), below, upon a lease renewal or execution of a new lease, a landlord shall not increase the rent of a regulated rental unit to an amount greater than:
(1)
the base rent; plus
(2)
the rent increase allowance under Section 13-144; plus
(3)
any banked amount (the manner of application and determination of a "banked amount" shall be established by rent stabilization regulations adopted by the Director and shall include a requirement that the applicant fully compensate the County for any costs the Director determines are associated with determining whether the applicant meets the requirements of being able to utilize a banked amount); and
(4)
does not exceed 10 percent of the base rent.
(b)
Limited surcharge for capital improvements. Subject to Subsection (c), below, the Director shall grant a landlord's petition to add a surcharge to the amount permitted under Subsection (a) if the Director determines, in accordance with rent stabilization regulations adopted by the Director:
(1)
the surcharge is limited to an amount necessary to cover the costs of capital improvements to the regulated unit, excluding the costs of ordinary repair and maintenance;
(2)
the surcharge does not take effect until after the capital improvements are completed;
(3)
if the capital improvements are for all rental units within the building, the surcharge:
(A)
is divided equally among the units;
(B)
is prorated over at least 96 months; and
(C)
does not exceed 20 percent of the base rent;
(4)
if the capital improvements apply only to certain regulated rental units within the building, the surcharge:
(A)
is divided equally among the affected units;
(B)
is prorated over at least 60 months; and
(C)
does not exceed 15 percent of the base rent;
(5)
the surcharge for each unit ends once the costs of the capital improvements, including any interest and service charges, have been recovered by the landlord;
(6)
the capital improvements would protect or enhance the health, safety, and security of the tenants or the habitability of the rental housing, provided that the purpose of the capital improvements cannot be to address code or other habitability violations.
(A)
Notwithstanding the foregoing, a new owner may apply to the Director for a waiver to authorize the inclusion of limited surcharge, as provided in this Section,
(7)
if the capital improvements would result in energy cost savings:
(A)
the savings would be passed on to the tenant; and
(B)
either:
(i)
the improvements would result in a net savings in the use of energy in the building; or
(ii)
the improvements are intended to comply with applicable law;
(8)
the capital improvements are depreciable under the federal Internal Revenue Code;
(9)
the applicant has certified to the Director the costs of the capital improvements, including any interest and service charge;
(10)
the applicant has certified to the Director that required governmental permits and approvals have been granted; and
(11)
the applicant fully compensates the County for any costs the Director determines are associated with determining whether the applicant meets the requirements of this Subsection.
(c)
Surcharge — additional requirements.
(1)
A landlord must maintain, and must make available to a tenant with an active lease for the affected unit or the Director upon request, all plans, contracts, specifications, and permits related to any capital improvements for which a surcharge has been granted.
(2)
Immediately upon the completion of capital improvements under this Section, a landlord must permit the return to affected rental units of any tenant with an active lease for the unit who was displaced due to the improvements.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-146 (2026)
Sec. 13-146. Fair returnLinkCopy Citation
(a)
Fair return rent increase. In accordance with this Section and rent stabilization regulations adopted by the Director:
(1)
a landlord may apply to the Director to increase rent for a regulated unit in an amount that exceeds the annual rent increase allowance prescribed in Section 13-144; and
(2)
the Director shall grant the application if the Director finds that the increase is necessary for the landlord to obtain a fair return on the regulated unit; provided that
(3)
the applicant fully compensates the County for any costs the Director determines are associated with determining whether the applicant meets the requirements of this Section.
(b)
For purposes of this Section, fair return means a return on investment:
(1)
sufficient to offset operating expenses; and
(2)
commensurate with returns on investments in other enterprises having comparable risks, which is deemed commensurate if an investment's actual annual return (Net Operating Income/Cost Basis) is at least the sum of the actual average 10 year United States Treasury Rate for the annual return period, plus 3%;
(c)
The Director shall adopt rent stabilization regulations establishing:
(1)
a formula to determine the rent increase necessary to obtain a fair return for a regulated unit;
(2)
application requirements, including the information an applicant must submit to demonstrate the rent necessary to obtain a fair return;
(3)
a uniform system and procedures for processing applications;
(4)
criteria the Director must use to evaluate and to grant or deny an application; and
(5)
the duration of a rent increase approved under this Section.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-147 (2026)
Sec. 13-147. Exempt rental unitsLinkCopy Citation
(a)
Exemptions. The requirements and limits of Section 13-145 do not apply to:
(1)
a newly constructed unit whose construction was completed on or after January 1, 2000;
(2)
a unit in a licensed facility, the primary purpose of which is the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, and treatment of illnesses;
(3)
a unit in a facility owned or leased by an organization exempt from federal income taxes under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code if the primary purpose of the organization is to provide temporary shelter for qualified clients;
(4)
an owner-occupied group house;
(5)
a religious facility, including a church, synagogue, parsonage, rectory, convent, and parish home;
(6)
a hotel or motel only serving transient residents;
(7)
a school dormitory;
(8)
a licensed assisted living facility or nursing home;
(9)
a building originally designed and constructed to contain only 2 dwelling units, one of which the owner currently occupies as a principal residence (domicile);
(10)
an accessory dwelling unit;
(11)
a unit subject to a regulatory agreement with a governmental agency or an agreement with a third-party entity that restricts occupancy of the unit to low and moderate income tenants;
(12)
Subject to rent stabilization regulations adopted by the Director, a unit located within a substantially renovated building if:
(A)
the substantial renovation was or is completed on or after January 1, 2000; and
(B)
the building is not in violation of Subtitles 4 or 13;
(13)
a rental unit owned by a landlord who:
(A)
owns 5 or fewer rental units within the County; and
(B)
is either:
(i)
a natural person or the living trust of a natural person; or
(ii)
the trust or estate of a decedent;
(14)
a condominium unit owned by one or more individuals domiciled in Prince George's County; and
(15)
any unit within or a part of a building cooperative.
(b)
Expiration of exemption. An exemption under Subsection (a), above, expires when the conditions entitling the unit or facility to an exemption cease or no longer exist.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-147.1 (2026)
Sec. 13-147.1. Regulation of feesLinkCopy Citation
(a)
Regulations. The Director shall adopt rent stabilization regulations regarding limitations on fee increases and that prohibit landlords from imposing new fees for services and amenities included during the term of the lease.
(b)
Fee schedule. At the discretion of the Director, a fee schedule may be included, as a part of the rent stabilization regulations.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-147.2 (2026)
Sec. 13-147.2. Rent stabilization data collectionLinkCopy Citation
(a)
On or before September 30th of each year, a landlord must submit to the Department a report for the preceding 12-month period, beginning July 1st and ending on June 30th, regarding regulated rental units, rents, and notices of rent increases.
(b)
The landlord shall submit the report in the form and manner prescribed by the Director pursuant to rent stabilization regulations.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-147.3 (2026)
Sec. 13-147.3. Information and enforcementLinkCopy Citation
(a)
The Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), DPIE, and the Office of Community Relations (OCR) shall provide information about the requirements of this Subdivision on their respective websites, including, but not limited to, informing landlords, tenants, and the general public about the types of units subject to the provisions of this Subdivision and exempt from some or all of its provisions, petitions for capital improvements, substantial renovations, and fair return relief from Ordinance coverage. By January 1, 2026, DPIE shall provide a publicly available web portal that the general public can access and utilize to determine whether a particular rental property is subject to the limits of the rent increase allowance prescribed in Section 13-144 and whether the provisions of Sections 13-145, 13-146, or 13-147 are applicable to the property.
(b)
DPIE shall email and post notice to license holders of the per annum limits on rent increases prescribed in this Subdivision within fifteen (15) days of its effective date.
(c)
DPIE shall exercise the enforcement authority provided pursuant to Section 13-102 of Subtitle 13 and Section 1-123 of Subtitle 1 of this Code:
(1)
This enforcement authority shall include the authority to impose fines for violations of the provisions of this Subtitle, including any regulations authorized by this Subdivision, including:
(A)
The authority to impose a penalty in the amount of $1,000 for the first violation of the provisions of this Subdivision; and
(B)
The authority to impose a penalty of an amount up to $5,000 for any subsequent violations of the provisions of this Subdivision; and
(C)
Any penalty collected shall be evenly distributed between the Prince George's County Rental Assistance Program and the DPIE, and to pay for this Office.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-148 (2026)
Sec. 13-148. Rental Assistance ProgramLinkCopy Citation
(a)
The Prince George's County Rental Assistance Program ("RAP") is hereby established as an avenue of temporary financial assistance for the residents of Prince George's County that meet the eligibility requirements set forth in Section 13-149 of this Subdivision.
(b)
The Prince George's County Rental Assistance Program Fund is hereby established for the purposes of providing financial rental assistance to residents in accordance with Section 13-149 of this Subdivision. The availability of funds for the RAP shall be subject to allocation from the County budget and any other funding sources.
(c)
The Department of Housing and Community Development shall implement a program to administer financial assistance awards from the Prince George's County Rental Assistance Fund and will post all related information on their website.
(1)
The Director of the Department of Housing and Community Development ("Director") shall establish an application process, award procedures, and other regulations necessary to implement the RAP consistent with this Subdivision.
(2)
The Director shall publish and transmit to the County Council and the County Executive an annual report summarizing the activities of the Prince George's County Rental Assistance Program no later than June 30 th of each fiscal year.
Prince George's County, Md., Code § 13-149 (2026)
Sec. 13-149. Eligibility and LimitationsLinkCopy Citation
(a)
Eligibility requirements.
(1)
A tenant in Prince George's County shall be eligible to apply for and receive financial assistance from the Rental Assistance Program if:
(i)
The tenant of a rental property is located within Prince George's County; and
(ii)
Tenant is subject to a legally binding written lease or sublease agreement; and
(iii)
The tenant's primary residence is said rental property; and
(iv)
The tenant's household income is equivalent to or less than 60% of the Area Median Income ("AMI") for the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area as established by the United States Office of Management and Budget; and
(2)
Financial assistance shall only be awarded to the Tenant directly.
(b)
Limitations
(1)
Tenants may apply for and receive assistance for a period of up to (6) months in a (24) month period. The (24) month period begins on the date the application is awarded.
(2)
Assistance may, but is not required, to be distributed over (6) consecutive months; or any (6) months from the award date for a period of up to (24) months, whichever occurs first, as requested by the tenant.
(3)
Two (2) years after the initial application for assistance, the tenant may reapply for assistance and receive an additional (6) months of assistance over a (24) month period from the date of the new award.
(4)
An award is limited to a maximum monthly amount equal to no more than 20% of the tenant's monthly rent.
(5)
Rental assistance shall not be awarded to multiple tenants simultaneously domiciled in an individual rental dwelling unit as defined by Section 13-138(a)(6) of the Code.
(6)
Rental assistance shall not be awarded simultaneously to multiple tenants domiciled in an multi-tenant rental dwelling unit.
(7)
For this section, multi-tenant rental dwelling unit means:
(i)
Multiple tenants simultaneously dwell within an individual rental unit; and
(ii)
Each tenant has either:
(1)
an independent lease or sublease, or
(2)
are all listed as co-tenants on the same lease.
(iii)
If the rental property is a single-family structure, either attached or detached, and each room is occupied by a separate tenant, then that property is considered a multi-tenant rental dwelling unit.
(8)
Only one rental assistance award per individual or multi-tenant rental dwelling unit may be in effect per 24-month period.
(9)
Short-term rentals, as defined under Sections 5-173 through 5-175.10 of the Code, are not eligible for financial assistance under the Rental Assistance Program.
(10)
Rental assistance awards shall be granted on a first-come, first-serve basis to new applicants followed by re-applicants.