Tenant Associations
Takoma Park Law, Chapter 6.16 states that tenants shall have the right to self-organization; to form, join, meet or assist one another. This regulation provides the process for registering a tenant association in the City of Takoma Park. (§6.16.030 of the Takoma Park Code)
Registration of a Tenant Association
Tenant associations are required to register with the City of Takoma Park’s Department of Housing and Community Development by submitting a “Tenant Association Registration” form.
Eligibility Criteria
To be considered a tenant association recognized by the City of Takoma Park as “Registered” the tenant group must:
Represent at least one-third (1/3) of the occupied rental units in the rental facility, on the date the Registration is filed with the City; and
A member of a registered tenant association must be a lease holder or a tenant accepted by the landlord as a responsible person for the rental unit. Responsible person status may be shown by the landlord’s acceptance of previous rent payments.
Processing of Registration Form
Upon receiving the Tenant Association Registration form, the City will determine that the application includes the names for at least one-third of the occupied rental units in the facility.
Within five business days of receipt of the Tenant Association Registration form, the City will send a letter to the tenant association president and the landlord acknowledging the receipt of the registration material of the tenant association.
The City will send a copy of the Tenant Association Registration form to the landlord with the letter.
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Objections to the Formation of a Tenant Association
A landlord has five (5) business days from the receipt of the notification letter, to file an objection to the formation of the tenant association. The landlord must also send a copy of the objection to the president of the tenant association.
An objection by the landlord shall be limited to challenges of the names submitted by the Tenant Association that comprise the mandatory one-third membership.
Certification of a Tenant Association
The City shall issue a tenant association registration certificate within ten (10) business days of the receipt of a Tenant Association Registration form unless the landlord has raised an objection to the formation of the tenant association.
Registered tenant associations are encouraged, but not required, to invite new tenants to join the association. New tenants may join by signing the Tenant Association Membership Listing or by submitting to the association a written statement of intent to join.
Re-registration of a Tenant Association
A tenant association must re-register with the City once every three (3) years to demonstrate that the organization’s membership is active and its membership represents at least 1/3 of the occupied rental units.
