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Pepco Increases Bills Up to 18%

Starting this month, Pepco will raise electric bills for small commercial customers in D.C. and parts of Maryland by 16% to 18%, citing increased demand from new regional data centers. [FOX 5 DC]

• Related: A community hearing will be held today, June 3, at the Anacostia Neighborhood Library to urge D.C.'s utility regulators to reject Washington Gas’s proposal to use $215 million in ratepayer money for repairs on its broken methane gas pipes. [DPSC]

Metro Enforces New Sexual Assault Ban

Metro’s new policy takes effect this week, which bans people committing sex crimes or assaults against Metro passengers from 45 days for a first offense to one year for repeat offenders. Previously, MTPD would ban offenders for up to 24 hours. [WMATA]

DC Settles With Management Firm Over Rent Inflation

D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb announced a $1 million settlement with William C. Smith and Co. as part of a lawsuit against property management firms for allegedly colluding to inflate rents using RealPage software. The settlement prohibits management groups from using revenue management software that relies on nonpublic data to set rent prices. [Washington Post 🔒]

District Launches Rent-Controlled Database

RentRegistry, a database to help tenants identify rent-controlled buildings and to help safeguard tenants from illegal rent increases, launched this week. Landlords and housing providers will be required to file information about their properties by Aug. 31. [Axios]

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