The DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID) on Oct. 6 joined Mayor Muriel Bowser, the District Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Coalition for Non-Profit Housing and Urban Development (CNHED) to announce the implementation of a Landlord Partnership Fund designed to increase housing opportunities for individuals and families experiencing homelessness in D.C.
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The fund will provide reimbursements for landlords to cover unpaid rent, damages or other lease charges if landlords agree to relax their screening criteria for housing applicants.
From DCist: “The Downtown BID is spearheading the effort to privately raise $500,000 by the end of the year to kick it off. Meanwhile, the Coalition for Non-Profit Housing and Economic Development will manage the program—signing landlords up, processing claims, and reimbursing them directly in the event of an issue. Landlords can receive up to $2,500 each for loss of a security deposit and/or damages.
“When landlords have choices, they are going to default to what they think is known and safe. So we’re trying to mitigate a lot of those risks,” said Neil Albert, the DowntownDC BID’s executive director.
To learn more about the Landlord Partnership Fund, visit CNHED’s webpage here.