Gaithersburg Passes Emergency Legislation to Limit Rent Increases during COVID-19 State of Emergency
Gaithersburg, Md. (July 21, 2020) At their meeting on Monday, July 20, 2020, the Gaithersburg Mayor and City Council conducted a public hearing and then enacted emergency legislation to limit residential rent increases during the COVID-19 State of Emergency. By a vote of 3 to 2, the elected officials amended Chapter 13 of the City Code, “Landlord-Tenant Relations,” to add a new section limiting any increase to the Montgomery County Executive’s Guidelines, which have been set at 2.6 percent for 2020. The Ordinance takes effect immediately.
“While we are fortunate that we haven’t seen many instances of landlords increasing rents in the City during the pandemic, we wanted to give our residents peace of mind that their rent payments will not significantly increase as they struggle with other financial challenges,” said Gaithersburg Mayor Jud Ashman. “Through this legislation, and with other rental assistance initiatives, we will continue to work with our residents and our landlords to ensure that our residents remain safely housed during this crisis, and beyond.”
The amended Ordinance limits residential rent increases during the Governor’s declared COVID-19 State of Emergency and for an additional 90 days thereafter. It prohibits landlords from notifying a tenant of any rent increase above 2.6 percent during that same time period, and it requires a landlord to notify a tenant to disregard any notice of rent increase that would have exceeded 2.6 percent during the State of Emergency and 90 days thereafter.
Violations of the Ordinance will be considered a municipal infraction. The Ordinance will expire and have no further force or effect upon the 151st day following the expiration of the State of Emergency.
For more information, please visit gaithersburgmd.gov or contact the Neighborhood Services Division of the Planning and Code Administration at neighborhoods@gaithersburgmd.
