DC Council holds hearing on bill requiring soundproofing for new homes

WASHINGTON - D.C. council members are working on legislation to crack down on ever-growing noise pollution.

A bill called the Harmonious Living Amendment Act of 2024 had its first public hearing Tuesday. 

The legislation would set soundproofing requirements for new homes built in mixed-use corridors and entertainment districts, and would require a new disclosure on lease or purchase agreements for existing homes letting renters or buyers letting them know of nearby venues where loud activities are routine.

There are higher requirements for buildings within 300 feet of a performance venue. 

Right now, D.C. law does not require any soundproofing standard for building exteriors.

The bill was introduced by Councilmember Brianne Nadeau, who says it "protects the vibrant musical and cultural history of neighborhoods while giving relief to the residents who appreciate that culture, and also seek reasonable protections from excessive sound."

"I created this bill with Columbia Heights in mind because it's a really vibrant area in a commercial corridor with a lot of residential around it. So residents in that area are often struggling with how to balance those two things,"  Nadeau said. "They're just trying to live their daily lives but sometimes they can be assaulted by the sounds in those spaces."

Street preachers taking over the Columbia Heights Civic Plaza is an example of the issue the legislation is trying to address.

"I myself have installed soundproofing on my bedroom windows because of this issue," one Columbia Heights neighbor told FOX 5. "It's a start but it doesn't do everything."

The bill would also create more coordination between agencies that do sound enforcement. 

"In my neighborhood, we’ve seen firsthand how old, non-soundproof buildings can become a constant source of noise complaints especially when entertainment venues are permitted to operate within them or nearby," ANC Commissioner Steven McCarty said. 

There are incentives for soundproofing and retrofitting existing homes but others testified developers could have a tough time complying with the new soundproofing requirements, perhaps killing projects in the process. 

Bazil Facchina Assistant General Counsel Office of Tax and Revenue said in comments that "certain aspects of the proposed assessment deduction that present administrative issues for the Office of Tax and Revenue" and encouraged the council to consider "other mechanisms" to incentivize soundproofing the properties.