Property Ownership, Interests, and Land Use in the District
Estates and co-ownership
Ownership in DC carries a historical wrinkle: much of the city was developed on ground rent, so a "purchase" may convey a renewable leasehold subject to an annual ground rent rather than the fee. Items hinge on recognizing the estate - fee simple, leasehold, life estate, easement - and on the co-ownership form. Tenancy in common has no survivorship and permits unequal shares; joint tenancy requires the unities and carries survivorship; tenancy by the entirety, where available to married couples, carries survivorship and some protection from one spouse's creditors.
Condominium versus cooperative
A condominium owner holds a deed to a unit plus a percentage interest in common elements and pays assessments; a cooperative member holds shares in the corporation plus a proprietary lease and no deed to a unit. Association budgets, reserves, rules, and pending assessments are part of what is being bought, which is why resale packages matter.
Land use
Know the institutions: the Zoning Commission adopts and amends zoning regulations and map amendments; the Board of Zoning Adjustment hears variances and special exceptions; the Historic Preservation Review Board reviews work in historic districts; Inclusionary Zoning requires affordable units in many new multifamily projects; and rent stabilization covers much of the older rental stock, with registration and increase rules administered through the rental housing office. Converting a rental building to condominiums triggers tenant notice and purchase rights.
Rule of thumb: read the title commitment, not just the deed - the ground rent, easement, or leasehold that changes the deal is usually disclosed there.