New Front Opens In Owner-Renter Battles in D.C.

"The only intention we have is to make a safe living condition for the residents," Bolton said. "That's 100 percent of our strategy."

During the hearing this week, Graham asked Bolton how much the owner planned to spend on renovating the four buildings. Bolton said the work would cost about $125,000 to $185,000 a unit, depending on the repairs.

Graham, who did his own calculations from the dais, noted that the owners would be investing $14 million on the four buildings. Sounding incredulous, he asked Bolton whether tenants would still be charged the same amount in rent, as required under law.

Bolton replied affirmatively and acknowledged that it could be 10 to 20 years before the owners realized a return on the investment.

Graham, who has asked for a review of all recent requests by landlords who are invoking the law, said that its use in gentrifying neighborhoods is worrisome and could lead to unscrupulous acts, such as tenants not being told that they have the right to return at the same rent.

"This is a way to hoodwink people out of valuable property," Graham said. "Once the apartments are cleared out, they will come on the market for a lot of money."

Earlier this year, Graham led an effort to close a loophole that allowed property owners to bypass a city law that gave tenants first rights to purchase a building. Graham said he believes the sudden popularity of the 501 F section of the housing rental act signals that property owners have found another legal strategy to clear out buildings, including some units covered by rent control.

W. Shaun Pharr, a spokesman for the Apartment and Office Building Association of Metropolitan Washington, said he was unaware of any abuse of the law.

"Responsible housing providers will not be using lead-based paint or any other conditions as a subterfuge for moving people out," Pharr said. "Certainly Mr. Graham has a right to investigate these recent instances, but when you think about the fact that there are 150,000 units of rental properties in the city, there's clearly not a widespread conspiracy to subvert tenants' rights."