The Issue: The City of Takoma Park, at the Mayor and Council’s request, is reviewing our historic rent stabilization law. Unfortunately, the review process seems skewed towards weakening the law to appear more attractive to developers. That’s not housing justice!
The Law: Almost half of all households in our City rent their homes. Nearly half of all rental units are rent-stabilized, with annual rent increases now limited to the rate of inflation: 2.4% in 2025 compared to 5.7% in the County. Property owners can apply for “fair return” increases, above that level, and several exemptions exist, including for government-subsidized buildings and single-family houses.
Its Impact: Local data indicates our law has helped preserve our economic and racial diversity and provided stable housing. Many low-income families, including many immigrants, have been able to afford their homes for decades, planting roots and raising their children in a community with strong schools and good local services. We all benefit from the resulting community-wide sense of security and well-being.
What to Do? – Community Vision for Takoma (CVT) invites you to work with us in the months ahead to urge the Council to make sure any changes in the law:
- Strengthen tenant protections.
- Preserve affordable housing, especially for residents with low incomes.
- Help landlords better maintain and repair buildings.
- Prevent higher rents or teardowns that would displace current residents.
- Honor our community values: Diversity, inclusivity, protecting the most vulnerable.
If you’d like to receive CVT Alerts or join our working group on housing, email: tjcommunityvision@gmail.com.