News & Resources

By Jennifer Jette On February 12, 2025, Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser introduced the Rebalancing Expectations for Neighbors, Tenants, and Landlords Act (RENTAL Act)—a legislative package designed to stabilize D.C.’s housing system amid growing market distress. The proposed changes could have significant implications for developers, property owners, investors, and tenants navigating D.C.’s complex real estate landscape.  The RENTAL Act seeks to reform existing regulations to balance the interests of tenants and landlords while encouraging housing development.   Key provisions include:  Exempting certain properties from the Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA)   Accelerating eviction proceedings  By making these changes, the RENTAL Act is designed to boost real estate activity, attract investment, and ensure a more functional housing market across Washington, D.C.  Exemption of Market-Rate and Certain Mixed-Income Properties from TOPA  A noteworthy provision in the RENTAL Act is the exemption of market-rate and select mixed-income apartment buildings from the Tenant Opportunity to […]

By Rebecca Urland Monzi On January 14, 2025, Mayor Muriel Bowser and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development launched the Central Washington Activation Projects Temporary Tax Abatement, commonly known as the “Office to Anything” program. This initiative addresses a critical issue in Washington, D.C.’s commercial real estate market: the oversupply of underutilized office buildings.    This program is pivotal for stakeholders in Washington, D.C. commercial real estate. It has the potential to transform the city’s urban core while creating new opportunities – as well as challenges – for property owners, developers, and tenants.   The Office to Anything Program: An Overview    The Office to Anything program offers a 15-year temporary property tax freeze to incentivize the conversion of vacant or underused office spaces into other property types, such as retail, hospitality, or mixed-use developments. The total of available tax abatements is subject to a cap of $5 million for 2027, $6 […]

Friedlander Misler, PLLC is pleased to announce that Principal Amy C. Serafino has been named an adjunct professor at Georgetown Law. Amy’s course is designed to help students develop the knowledge and practical skills needed to represent the key parties to a commercial real estate transaction. Amy plans to use her real-world experience to teach students not just the underlying legal principles, but also the customs, practices and forms typically used in commercial real estate transactions (and what “closing” a deal actually entails). Students will gain a basic understanding of legal issues that arise in commercial real estate transactions and the different ways in which those issues can be addressed. Georgetown Law is consistently ranked as a Tier 1 law school by U.S. News and World Report. Learn more about Amy Serafino here.

Friedlander Misler, PLLC is pleased to announce that Principal Amy C. Serafino was selected for Connect CRE’s 2024 Lawyers in Real Estate Awards. Serafino was named a winner in the Washington, D.C. and Mid-Atlantic region. “Congratulations to Amy, who continues to elevate the bar in our industry,” said Friedlander Misler Managing Member David M. Astrove. “She is an asset both in the firm and to her clients in their various real estate endeavors.” The Connect CRE Lawyers in Real Estate Awards program, now in its sixth consecutive year, recognizes outstanding commercial real estate attorneys who have an impact in practice, the industry, and their communities. Serafino was selected as a winner from more than 300 submissions from companies across the country. In her practice, Serafino draws on nearly two decades of industry experience to advise clients on complex commercial real estate transactions, including acquisitions, dispositions, commercial leasing, real estate development, and construction. […]

Friedlander Misler, PLLC is pleased to announce that it has received a Tier 2 metropolitan ranking for Real Estate Law in Washington, D.C. in the 2025 edition of Best Law Firms®. This latest edition, which was released today, ranks firms in 75 national practice areas and 127 metropolitan areas. “We are so pleased to receive our inaugural Best Law Firms ranking,” said Firm Principal and Managing Member David M. Astrove. “Each member of our Real Estate team contributes in individual and tremendous ways to ensure our practice excels on behalf of clients.” To be eligible for a Best Law Firms ranking, a firm practice area must have at least one lawyer who is ranked in that practice and jurisdiction in The Best Lawyers in America®. David Astrove and Principal Deborah G. Astrove were ranked for Real Estate Law in 2025. In addition to this qualifier, Best Law Firms rankings are based on methodology that […]