Monday, July 30, 2007

Other Government Agencies

These government offices should have an online presence but do not. Please feel free to contact them with your concerns.

DCRA Board of Condemnation of Insanitary Buildings
Hubert Johnson (202) 535-1837 [Good guy--Ed.]

DCRA Vacant Property Office
Allen Smith (202) 442-4332

OTR Class 3 Tax Office
Stephen Cappello (202) 442-6738
Bob Worthington (202) 442-6775

OTR Homestead Deduction Office
?

Sunday, July 15, 2007

Nuisance Property Bill Eyed by Shaw and Logan Residents

"Ward 2 residents hoping for some action on the vacant or “nuisance” properties in their neighborhoods lined up on May 24 to testify at a DC Council hearing on the “Nuisance Properties Abatement Reform and Real Property Classification Amendment Act of 2007,” a bill introduced by Councilmembers Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) and Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3).

For residents of Shaw and Logan Circle, where vacant properties abound, many say the “broken window syndrome” and other crime and quality of life issues created by empty properties are chief among their concerns." [I regret missing this hearing. Sounds like the community was well represented.--Ed.]
DC North | June 2007 | Ward 2 News

In Shaw (now with more gentrification): U.G.L.Y. you ain't got no alibi

"...a house on the 1500 block of 3rd Street, NW...Another house that has seemingly sat vacant for years is at the corner of Marion and Q Sts NW...not a house but a business, is the Check 'n' Go or the rob people of their paycheck with usury fees. Note the top portions where windows have been busted in and out and the masonry"

Investigators on the hunt for D.C. tax cheats

"The team has nailed tax preparers who falsify returns, restaurateurs who fail to turn over sales taxes, and individuals who substantially understate income or inflate deductions.

They have seen fraud in every tax category: sales, income, property, franchise and business license.

Before the unit was established, Braman said, the District was viewed as an "easy target" for tax cheats. Now its targets are paying big civil fines and serving jail time." [Let's hope they go after vacant property owners as well.--Ed.]
by Michael Neibauer
The Examiner
July 13, 2007

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Vacant Property Map for ANC 6A and 6C

Residents of ANC 6A and 6C,

A new interactive map of vacant properties in ANC 6A and 6C is located
at:
http://www.communitywalk.com/washington/dc/anc_6a6c_vacant_properties/map/136384

Nationwide, it is Independence Day. And in ANC 6A and 6C it is also
Independence from Vacant Properties Day. As we all know, vacant
properties often fall into disrepair and attract crime, vermin and
blight. Because of these problems, vacant properties are supposed be
charged at Class III property tax rates (5 times normal) to
incentivize owners to fix up and reoccupy their properties or sell
them.

Unfortunately, the reality in Washington DC is that many vacant
properties never get on the vacant property lists, many receive
waivers so that they do not have to pay the higher tax rates and
surprisingly, many continue to receive homestead exemptions even
though the properties are considered vacant by the DC government.

A number of volunteers from ANC 6A and 6C have worked hard over the
last several months to catalog over 300 vacant properties in our
neighborhood and posted our results on an interactive map where

1) There is a recent picture of the property
2) The property address links to the tax records
3) The properties are classified as to where they are in the
identification system.

Although a lot of work has been done, we still need your help!

We need help with the following items:

1) Pictures of the remaining properties.
2) More information about these properties, including how long it has
been vacant, if it attracting other problems, etc.
3) Reports of vacant property which do not appear on the map.

You can leave comments on the map with more information about the
properties. To report new properties or send pictures please send an
email to 6a6cvacantproperties@gmail.com

The city council is preparing to pass a vacant property law that
eliminates many loopholes in the existing law and will cause many more
vacant properties to pay Class III rates. Having a comprehensive list
and mapping of all vacant properties in ANC 6A and 6C will help us
quantify the problem in our neighborhood and report these properties
to DCRA and OTR.

Special thanks in this project go to: Tom Madison, Charles Elliott,
Bill Schultheiss, Heather Scott, Chris Homan, Stephanie Nixon, Alan
Kimber, Lance Brown, Sharon Cochran, and Rick Uzes.

Drew Ronneberg
ANC 6A Economic Development and Zoning Chair

Monday, July 2, 2007

Vacant and Nuisance Property Administration and Enforcement Hearing on July 3, 1:00 pm

I received the following email several days ago. Please attend if you can. At the last hearing on vacant property there were only 2 people who testified on behalf of the community: myself and the chairman of ANC2F Charles Reed. Unfortunately, I may not be able to attend this time. Individual testimony makes an incredible impact. Besides, all your friends can watch you on TV.

"Dear All:

I wanted to write to everyone who's contacted Councilmember Evans regarding concerns about vacant property. On Tuesday, July 3, 2007, Councilmember Mary Cheh, Chairperson of the Committee on Public Services and Consumer Affairs, will hold a public oversight hearing on vacant and nuisance property administration and enforcement. This hearing will explore a range of issues, including the outcomes of vacant and nuisance property cases, enforcement against serious and repeat violators, and best practices in vacant and nuisance property administration and enforcement. The public hearing will begin at 1:00 p.m. in the fifth-floor Council Chamber at the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.

If you'd like to testify or submit testimony for the record, please contact Jason Juffras, Clerk for the Committee on Public Services and Consumer Affairs: jjuffras@dccouncil.us.

Michele

Michele Molotsky,
Deputy Chief of Staff
Councilmember Jack Evans, Ward 2
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, #106
Washington, DC 20004
Ph: 202-724-8033, F: 202-724-8023"

Sunday, July 1, 2007

1001 11th Street, NW

Jemal's Billboard?
Owner is Jemal's Bulldog LLC.
Registered at class 2 (commercial).
Building assessed at $150.
The property is on the tax sale list for $25,639 in taxes owed. See Tax Sale 2007.
See also CityPaper Shines Spotlight On Jemal and 1015 K Street, NW.