Opinion ID: 2103664
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Rental Housing Commission Decision and Order

Text: As a result of the examiner's decision, the tenants [5] appealed pursuant to D.C.Code § 45-2526(h) (1990) [6] to the Commission. The Commission determined that the central issue was whether the housing provider had carried its burden of proof that the proposed improvements would protect or enhance the health, safety and security of the tenants or the habitability of the housing accommodation. The Commission defined the phrase to enhance the habitability of the housing accommodation to mean improvements which not only insure the lack of [District of Columbia] housing code [7] (housing code) violations, but also, those improvements may be better than the item it replaces. For the items mentioned in the housing code, the Commission concluded that the examiner's decision on these items was not supported by substantial evidence in the record. Moreover, the Commission noted, items not mentioned in the housing code, nor already existing in the rental unit, [8] could not be considered to enhance or protect the habitability of the housing accommodation. As a result, the petition was dismissed in its entirety by the Commission.