DC Council Introduces Bills to Amend Historic Protection Act

Two bills introduced to amend the Historic Landmark and Historic District Protection Act of 1978 (HPA) would alter the authority of the HPRB or require it to make decisions concerning matters beyond its mandate:

Housing Capacity Preservation Amendment Act of 2024 (B25-0919). Introduced in July, the bill primarily proposes to strike the term "height" from the HPA, thus removing HPRB's authority to limit building heights based on historic compatibility if those limits were to affect the creation of additional housing. To date, the bill has not moved forward.
Resilient and Energy Efficient Historic Properties Amendment Act of 2024 (B25-793). Introduced in April, the purpose of the bill is to amend the HPA to require that HPRB consider proposed alterations that include additional design elements that promote energy resiliency and water and energy efficiency. The Council held a public hearing October 8, 2024.