4399.1 The provisions of § 3899 of Chapter 38 of this title and the definitions set forth in that section shall be applicable to this chapter.

4399.2 In addition to § 4399.1, the following terms shall have the meanings set forth below:

CPI-U – the average of the bi-monthly publications of the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers for All Items for the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-MD-VA-WV, Core Based Statistical Area during the twelve (12) month period ending on November 30 of a given year, as published by the United States Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Multifamily housing accommodation – a housing accommodation covered by the Act, as provided in § 4100.3, consisting of two (2) or more rental units that is owned or operated by a single housing provider.

Tenant organization – a tenant association, the tenants of a housing accommodation acting jointly as provided by § 410 of the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act of 1980 (D.C. Law 3-86; D.C. Official Code § 42-3404.10) (“TOPA”), a tenant organization as provided in § 411 of TOPA (D.C. Official Code § 42-3404.11), or any other continuing agreement between the tenants of two (2) or more rental units covered by the Act to support the exercise of any legal rights as tenants.

Tenant organizer – a person, who may or may not be a tenant, who assists tenants of a multifamily housing accommodation in establishing and operating a tenant organization, and who is not an employee, representative, or other agent of the housing provider, or of a prospective housing provider or owner of the property.

Qualified third party – any of the following persons acting in their official capacity:

(1) A sworn officer of the Metropolitan Police Department of the District of Columbia, in accordance with D.C. Official Code § 4-1301.02(15);

(2) A sworn officer of the District of Columbia Housing Authority Office of Public Safety;

(3) A health professional licensed under or permitted by District of

Columbia law to practice a health occupation in the District of Columbia in accordance with D.C. Official Code § 3-1201.01(8); or

(4) A domestic violence counselor who is an employee, contractor, or volunteer of a domestic violence program, in accordance with D.C. Official Code § 14-310(2).

SOURCE: Final Rulemaking published at 68 DCR 012634 (December 3, 2021).