District of Columbia Code
Chapter 35A - Rental Housing: Tenant Advocacy
§ 42–3531.15. Liens

(a) The amount for which an owner has been found liable, including any other charges, costs, penalties, and interest, shall be a continuing and perpetual lien in favor of the District upon all real and personal property belonging to the person named in the notice and shall have the same force and effect as a lien created by judgment. Interest shall accrue as provided in subsection (f) of this section.
(b) The lien shall attach to all property belonging to the owner during the period of the lien, including any property acquired by the owner after the lien arises.
(c) The lien shall have priority over any other lien, except a lien for District taxes and District water charges; provided, that the lien shall not be valid as against any bona fide purchaser, or holder of a security interest, mechanic's lien, or other such creditor interested in the property, without notice, until notice of the lien is filed with the Recorder of Deeds. The lien shall be satisfied by payment of the amount of the lien to the agency that issued the notice.
(d) For reasonable cause shown, the Chief may abate the amount owed by the owner pursuant to this chapter.
(e)(1) As additional means for collection, the Chief may enforce payment of the fines, expenses, costs, penalties, interest, or other charges imposed against the real property in the same manner and under the same conditions that real property tax liens are enforced pursuant to Chapter 13A of Title 47.
(2) Proceeds collected from a sale pursuant to Chapter 13A of Title 47 shall be credited to the Emergency Housing and Relocation Assistance Fund established by § 42-3531.16.
(f) Interest on an amount due pursuant to this section shall be at the rate of 1 1/2% per month, and shall be prorated if interest is owed for a portion of a month.
(Oct. 20, 2005, D.C. Law 16-33, § 2068g; as added Feb. 18, 2017, D.C. Law 21-211, § 2(c), 63 DCR 15307.)
Section 7023 of D.C. Law 22-33 repealed § 5 of D.C. Law 21-211. Therefore the creation of this section by D.C. Law 21-211 has been implemented.
Applicability of D.C. Law 21-211: § 5 of D.C. Law 21-211 provided that the creation of this section by § 2(c) of D.C. Law 21-211 is subject to the inclusion of the law’s fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan. Therefore that amendment has not been implemented.
For temporary (90 days) repeal of § 5 of D.C. Law 21-211, see § 7023 of Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2017 (D.C. Act 22-167, Oct. 24, 2017, 64 DCR 10802).
For temporary (90 days) repeal of § 5 of D.C. Law 21-211, see § 7023 of Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2017 (D.C. Act 22-104, July 20, 2017, 64 DCR 7032).

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