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TOPA’s Red-Headed Stepchild

In Legislation, Real Estate by Richard Bianco

In 2008, the Council passed the District Opportunity to Purchase Act (DOPA). As the name suggests, DOPA gives the District the right to purchase residential buildings, in certain circumstances, where the owner seeks to sell to a third party. The 2008 Act left many open questions for the Agency to resolve by promulgating regulations. On December 22 2017, only nine (9) years later, DHCD has finally answered the bell, and published proposed regulations.

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Are You Breaking The Law By Selling Cups?

In Cases, Hospitality by Richard Bianco

Yes, cups, innocuous plastic, Styrofoam, paper cups. If you are licensed to sell or serve alcohol, it is illegal for you to sell for a nominal charge or give away cups to your customers to consume alcohol off premises. To use the statutory language, it is a violation for an establishment to provide a customer “go-cups” which D.C. Code §25-101 defines as a “drinking utensil” at “no charge or a nominal charge” for the purpose of “consuming an alcoholic beverage off the premises.”