Videos
Legislative Updates
Virginia’s 2026 Eviction Diversion Program: What Landlords Need to Know
Welcome back to Offit Kurman’s 2026 Legislative Update Series. Sidney Washington discusses important changes to Virginia’s Eviction Diversion Program, including updated eligibility requirements, court notification procedures, and a revised payment plan structure. This installment explains how the new law affects housing providers, from the requirement to include program information with unlawful detainer summonses to the updated initial payment of 10% of the amount due, followed by three monthly installments. Learn what landlords and property managers need to know about court participation, tenant eligibility, accurate rent ledgers, and the procedures for handling successful plan completion or default. Follow the series for practical guidance on Virginia legislative changes and landlord compliance.
October 9, 2026
Legislative Updates
Virginia’s 2026 Landlord Law Changes: Rent Payments, Fees & Repairs
Welcome to the final Virginia installment of Offit Kurman’s 2026 Legislative Update Series. Sidney Washington discusses House Bill 1005 and Senate Bill 313, which introduce important changes to rent payment options, payment processing fees, and maintenance and repair charges for housing providers. This update explains the requirement to accept rent and security deposit payments by check and money order, restrictions on passing payment processing fees to tenants, and new limitations on charging residents separately for routine maintenance and repairs. Learn what landlords and property managers should review in their lease agreements, fee schedules, resident handbooks, and maintenance policies to ensure compliance. Visit Offit Kurman’s website for a summary of the legislative updates and practical action items. Stay tuned for upcoming updates covering Maryland and Washington, D.C.
October 9, 2026
Legislative Updates
Navigating Virginia's New AC Regulations in 2026
Welcome back to Offit Kurman’s 2026 Legislative Update Series. Gwen Roy-Harrison of the Virginia Landlord Representation Team explains a new Virginia law, effective July 1, 2026, that adds qualifying central air conditioning services to the definition of essential services under the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act (VRLTA). This installment explores how the change affects housing providers, including potential tenant remedies for AC outages, reasonable repair response times, and applicable Virginia Property Maintenance Code requirements. Learn four practical steps property managers can take to prepare: update maintenance policies, establish emergency response procedures, document repair efforts, and maintain clear communication with residents. Follow the series for practical guidance on legislative changes and landlord compliance.
September 7, 2026
Legislative Updates
Virginia’s House Bill 15 and Senate Bill 48
In this installment of Offit Kurman's Legislative Update Series, the landlord representation team covers Virginia House Bill 15 and Senate Bill 48, which amend the non-payment notice process under the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act. Effective July 1, 2026, the required waiting period in a non-payment notice extends from five days to fourteen days, meaning landlords must provide tenants with a fourteen-day pay or quit notice before filing an unlawful detainer for non-payment of rent. The previous five-day notice will no longer meet the statutory requirement. This update walks through what the change means in practice, including the longer timeline housing providers should expect before filing in court, and flags the need to revise notice templates that still reference the old five-day period to avoid non-suits or dismissals. As always, the Offit Kurman landlord representation team is available to help apply this update to your communities.
August 25, 2026
Legislative Updates
Implications of Virginia's 2026 Legislative Update on Evictions
Welcome back to Offit Kurman’s 2026 Legislative Update Series. Gwen Roy-Harrison of the Virginia Landlord Representation Team discusses two new Virginia laws, effective July 1, 2026, that impact eviction proceedings and property management practices. This installment explores changes to the unlawful detainer process when tenants dispute the amount owed and the expanded ability for tenants to raise habitability and maintenance issues as defenses in nonpayment of rent cases. Learn what these updates mean for housing providers and why accurate rent ledgers, thorough maintenance records, and coordination with legal counsel are more important than ever. Follow the series for practical guidance on navigating legislative changes and maintaining compliance.
August 3, 2026
Legislative Updates
Legislative Update Series
Welcome to Offit Kurman's Legislative Update Series. Sidney Washington, practice group leader for the landlord representation team, sets the stage for a new series of short, practical compliance check-ins covering the most important legislative changes impacting housing providers across Virginia, Maryland, and DC. Each upcoming installment will break down a specific update: what changed, why it matters, and any action you may need to take. Some updates will serve as helpful reminders, while others may call for changes to your policies or procedures. Either way, the series is designed to make compliance simple, straightforward, and easy to implement, whether you're watching between meetings or sharing with your team. Subscribe, follow, or bookmark the series so you don't miss an update, and keep a running list of questions as you go. If you need additional guidance or help applying these changes to your communities, the Offit Kurman landlord representation team is here to help.
July 20, 2026
DC Rental Act
Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act
In this episode of The DC Rental Act in Three Minutes, Offit Kurman attorneys Brian Dorwin and Gwen Roy Harrison break down how the Rental Act reshapes the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) for DC multifamily properties. They explain how TOPA once applied almost universally—often delaying closings and forcing landlords and developers into costly negotiations with tenant associations. The Rental Act changes that by introducing key exemptions that streamline transactions and reduce uncertainty. New construction properties (with a certificate of occupancy issued within the last 15 years), LIHTC properties, certain ownership transfers, and small landlords with two to four units may now be exempt from TOPA. The episode also highlights new notice requirements for current and incoming tenants—and why compliance still matters, even with statutory safeguards in place. The takeaway: these reforms are expected to unlock stalled deals and bring greater efficiency to DC’s multifamily market.
April 24, 2026
DC Rental Act
Understanding Pleading Technicalities Under the DC Rental Act
In Episode 3 of The DC Rental Act in Three Minutes, Offit Kurman attorneys Robert Donahue and Brian Dorwin break down one of the most consequential—and least understood—changes in the new law: how courts handle pleading technicalities. They explain that, under the prior legal framework, any defect in a filing—no matter how small—required the court to dismiss the case. A missing attachment, an outdated form, or a minor clerical error could derail a case at any stage, including on the morning of a jury trial after months of preparation. This rigid “shall dismiss” standard created costly delays and forced landlords to restart cases from scratch for issues that often had no impact on the merits. The Rental Act fundamentally reshapes this process. Judges now have discretion to determine whether a defect actually causes prejudice to either party. Instead of automatic dismissal, courts may allow amendments or permit the case to proceed when the issue is minor—such as a decade‑old RAD form with a technical flaw. For landlords, this means fewer restarts, fewer duplicative filings, and more efficient resolution of disputes. Robert and Brian emphasize that this shift—from shall dismiss to may dismiss—is one of the most practical improvements in the statute. It empowers judges to apply common sense, reduces unnecessary litigation costs, and allows attorneys to advocate more effectively when technical issues arise.
April 17, 2026
DC Rental Act
Navigating DC's Rental Act Changes in Eviction Procedures
In Episode 2 of The DC Rental Act in Three Minutes, Offit Kurman attorneys Brian Dorwin and Gwen Roy Harrison examine key changes to eviction procedures under the new Rental Act, with a focus on public safety cases. They explain how, under the prior law, landlords were required to issue a 30‑day notice with an opportunity to cure—and often had to wait for repeated misconduct—before filing an eviction. In situations involving violent or dangerous behavior, this left landlords and residents with limited immediate protection. The Rental Act introduces a major shift: a 10‑day notice to vacate with no cure provision for tenants alleged to have committed a dangerous crime or crime of violence. Landlords are no longer required to wait for a criminal conviction before acting, allowing for faster responses to serious threats. Brian and Gwen also note that many questions remain. Because the Act took effect so quickly and reshaped nearly every part of landlord‑tenant court, DC Superior Court and agencies are still interpreting how these provisions will work in practice. Early rulings in 2026 will be critical in shaping how the law is applied.
April 9, 2026
DC Rental Act
Understanding DC Protective Orders Under the Rental Act
The DC Rental Act has reshaped how protective orders work in eviction cases—making them faster, more consistent, and far more beneficial for housing providers. A protective order requires tenants to pay rent into the court registry rather than directly to the landlord, ensuring continued payment while a case is pending. Before the Rental Act, landlords often faced long delays. Tenants could raise even minor disputes, pushing protective‑order hearings months out and slowing down the eviction process. Now, judges are expected to issue preliminary protective orders at the very first hearing. Tenants may still request a Bell hearing or raise defenses, but they must begin making monthly payments immediately until the court adjusts the amount. Since the Act took effect, DC courts have been issuing protective orders more reliably at initial hearings—resulting in steadier payments and fewer procedural setbacks for landlords.
April 2, 2026
DC Rental Act
The DC Rental Act in Three Minutes: A New Series
In this kickoff episode of The DC Rental Act in Three Minutes, Offit Kurman attorneys Brian Dorwin, Gwen Roy Harrison, and Rob Donahue introduce the sweeping legislative changes that took effect in Washington, DC on January 1, 2026. The DC Rental Act—passed just one day earlier—marks one of the most significant shifts in landlord tenant law the District has seen in years. The team explains why this reform was long overdue. In 2024 and 2025, DC became an outlier in delinquencies and strained landlord tenant relationships. Affordable housing projects were destabilized, and many multifamily owners faced foreclosure or default. The Rental Act is the City Council’s attempt to correct course and bring greater balance and predictability to the system. Over the coming weeks, Brian, Gwen, and Rob will break down the Act’s most impactful components, including changes to court procedures, protective orders, TOPA, public safety evictions, and the new 10 and 30 day notice requirements. Because the law took effect so quickly, DC Superior Court is already interpreting it in real time—meaning early rulings are emerging, but many questions remain open. This series will help property owners, managers, and industry professionals understand how the Rental Act is being applied today and what to expect as litigation and guidance continue to develop throughout 2026.
March 24, 2026
