KWRA Membership Information

The Kennedy-Warren Residents' Association was founded in 1982 to represent the collective and individual interests of residents of the Kennedy-Warren Apartments about matters related to the building. Additionally, the KWRA exists to benefit all residents in the Kennedy-Warren, as well as in the District of Columbia, through promoting and protecting the rights of tenants under the laws of the District of Columbia. The KWRA welcomes everyone's participation and ideas.

Membership in the KWRA is voluntary and open to all tenants of the Kennedy-Warren. Currently annual dues are only $15 per resident, per year. Dues received during the 4th quarter of any given year cover membership for the remainder of the current year, as well as next year. Membership forms and dues can be dropped in the KWRA box located in the library (outside of the laundry room), at the KWRA folder at the front desk, or turned in at KWRA Events. For voting and other rights, it is important that each adult member of your household join.

Why Join? The KWRA works hard on behalf of all tenants in the building. Below are a few reasons why it is important to join:

Legal Rights:

Unless you make an appearance and participate directly in a legal proceeding involving the building, participating throught the KWRA is the only way to ensure that you preserve your legal rights.

Effectivenes:

An organization is only as effective as its members. The more members in the KWRA, the more the KWRA is able to do, and the more likely it will be successful in effecting positive outcomes.

Support:

Membership dues (only $15/year) cover essential expenses (e.g., copying, website expenses, and postage). The KWRA needs to cover these expenses in order to communicate with the residents and function as an effective organization.

Participation:

We value the input of all members to help guide the organization, and to work on the many opportunities that the KWRA has, to make positive contributions to our building, the community, and the District of Columbia.

Information:

The KWRA is in the process of organizing this, our new website. In the future, information, including documents related to tenant petitions and the capital improvement petitions, email, and forums will be available to enhance resident communications. Some information will be accessible only to members of the KWRA – another benefit of joining!

Join the KWRA today!

How do I Join? Please download the KWRA 2009 Membership Application form, [MS Word, 35 KB] and fill it out. Pre-printed copies of this form are also available in the mail room and the laundry room. Return the completed application and dues to the drop-box in the library or ask at the front desk for it to be put into the KWRA folder.

Questions? Contact us here

Current KWRA 2008 Board Members

KWRA accomplishments of 2006:

Board members of the KWRA and other members actively participated in the legislative process surrounding proposals to reform the rent control laws in the District of Columbia and to improve tenants' rights to organize.

The KWRA continues to assist residents in learning about their legal rights under the D.C. rent control laws, including providing easy access to forms for elderly and disabled residents to claim eligibility for smaller annual rent increases based on the consumer price index, informing residents about their right to know the basis of the rent they are charged. The KWRA continues to help make resources available to tenants, including the November 18, 2006 event where the Office of Tenant Advocate will make personnel available to inform residents about their legal rights and provide legal personnel to answer legal questions about those rights.

The KWRA continues to assist residents with quality of life issues, providing help and information regarding appropriate contacts at the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs to address tenant concerns. Staff from the DCRA have been asked to be available to residents of the K-W at the November 18, 2006 event, the Tenant Petition Workshop.

The KWRA was there working on the residents' behalf in the aftermath of the water main breaks. The KWRA helped to improve communications regarding what was affecting the building and the management's communication with residents. KWRA members helped assure that people who might have a hard time bringing water into their units had drinkable water. KWRA Board members also sought greater compensation from management for the disturbance and inconvenience caused in the aftermath of the water main break.

The KWRA continues to strive to ensure that the rent control laws in the District of Columbia are applied appropriately and will be making copies of tenant petitions and other materials available. Likewise, the KWRA continues to participate in the Capital Improvement Petition proceedings and opposing those Capital Improvement Petitions.

Additional KWRA activities in protecting tenants' rights and interests include negotiating construction rebates for all residents of the Kennedy-Warren during the construction of the South Wing, and ensuring that appropriate limits are in place with regard to the use of the K-W Club through a liquor license agreement. The KWRA also has worked on behalf of the residents on numerous additional issues, such as construction disruptions, proposed renovations, and proposed seventy percent voluntary agreements. Finally, as it always has, the KWRA continues to administer a Holiday Fund to show the gratitude of the residents for all the hard work that non-management staff do for our building.