DC Residents! I want to let you know that the DC Council recently passed the COVID-19 Response Emergency Amendment Act. What is that and what does it mean for you? I’m Derrick Behm-Josa and I am a board member of the DC Association of the Deaf. DCAD wants to make videos in ASL about what DC is doing in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
There are two relevant categories for us in the bill. One pertains to residents and the other pertains to businesses. For us residents, the bill includes a provision on paying rent. If you are financially impacted by COVID-19, you can make late payments to your landlord without penalty fees. You also cannot be evicted. The same thing goes for your utility bills. You can make late payments without penalty. It is important that you still communicate this with your utility company. The bill has several topics covered related to businesses.
One worth noting is the limit on price gouging on supplies, such as toilet paper and hand sanitizers. It is illegal to double the prices. If you see this happen, you can report it. You should make your report to the Office of Attorney General (OAG) at their website provided: oag.dc.gov. DCAD acknowledges that this is a difficult time with a lot of unexpected changes that can be unsettling.
We need to continue supporting each other the best we can. Know that there are resources out there that are created to support our DC community at this time. Be on the lookout for updates from DC. DCAD will do our best to share these updates with you, too.
Bill Text: https://dccouncil.us/covid-19-response-emergency-amendment-act-of-2020/
More Info: https://coronavirus.dc.gov/