In the interest of preserving affordable supply, the District can purchase apartment buildings that would otherwise sell to private developers.

In Washington, D.C., tenants can prevent the sale of an apartment building by banding together to buy it themselves. The Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) is D.C.'s "best known tenant protection legislation," Carolyn Gallaher writes. But it also has a lesser known sibling that has never been used: the District Opportunity to Purchase Act (DOPA).
"It was designed as a safety net for TOPA. If tenants could not make TOPA work, the city could refuse the sale and preserve the building as affordable housing. In other words, if the tenants' attempt (TOPA) fails, the District (DOPA) would step in and act like a tenant association would: strike a bargain with a developer and preserve some affordable homes."
DOPA passed in 2008, but officials are only now writing implementation regulations. In Greater Greater Washington, Gallaher outlines the different ways the law could play out—covering what might merit public intervention in a building sale, whether the city would partner with a developer or become the building's landlord, and more.
FULL STORY: Passed in 2008, this affordable housing law has never been used. Now DC is finally getting ready for DOPA.

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
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Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Placekeeping: Setting a New Precedent for City Planners
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San Francisco’s Muni Ridership Grew in 2024
The system saw its highest ridership since before the Covid-19 pandemic, but faces a severe budget shortage in the coming year.

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Safe Streets Funding in Jeopardy
The Trump administration is specifically targeting bike infrastructure and other road safety projects in its funding cuts.
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