Empowering Small Landlords to Provide Affordable Housing

Eviction cases in D.C. are meant to move through a summary judicial process. Instead, they are taking a year, two years, and sometimes longer to reach resolution.

The Cost of Delay is a three-part research series examining what prolonged possession cases mean for the District’s rental housing system.

The stakes are significant. D.C. housing providers have lost more than $1 billion in unpaid rent. Separately, about half of the District’s publicly financed affordable housing portfolio is on a financial distress watch list, representing more than $1 billion in housing assets at risk.

Part One: Housing Providers
Part One draws on a July 2026 survey of more than 600 D.C. housing providers. It documents the financial and operational toll of prolonged possession cases.

• 70% of providers who regained possession said it took at least a year.
• 35% of providers with a current delinquency said their longest-running delinquency had continued for more than two years.
• Nearly 90% said few or none of their delinquent tenants resumed paying rent while their cases were pending.

The damage does not stop at lost rent. 58% reported delaying or canceling maintenance and capital improvements. 68% said their experience had caused them to consider selling rental property.

When cases remain unresolved for years, the effects reach well beyond the courtroom. They show up in deferred repairs, strained operations, lost investment, and a less stable rental housing stock for everyone.