Thursday, January 3, 2008

Signs on vacant property

3107.6.5 Signs on vacant property. Display of any sign, poster, or other advertising medium on or in any part of a vacant building, store, or premises, visible from the street or public way, other than real estate signs, complying with Section 3107.16 and authorized billboards or poster panels, is prohibited.

Exception: One sign not more than 6 square feet (0.557 m²) in area giving the name, business, and new address of the former occupant is permitted to be displayed for not more than 60 days on the vacated premises.

District of Columbia Building Code Supplement of 2003
See page 173.

3 comments:

GF said...

I would like to speak to the person who owns the blog about the vacant properties in Washington DC. Looking for alliance to work towards ridding our city of vacant properties

Anonymous said...

LETTER to ANC 6A



April 6, 2009


Chairman Joseph Fengler
Vice Chair David Holmes
Treasurer Nick Alberti
Secretary Bill Schultheiss
Advisory Neighborhood Committee 6A
P.O. Box 75115
Washington, DC 20002

Dear ANC Chairman Fengler:

I moved to the district in 2001 after earning my Master of Education from Saint Michael’s College. In 2006 I searched for my first home in the DC area and finally purchased a home on Rosedale Street NE. However, before I purchased my home I was concerned with the following addresses:

1600 Rosedale Street NE (Lot # 4540-0266

1604 Rosedale Street NE (Lot # 4540-0264

1610 Rosedale Street NE (Lot # 4540-0261)

Prior to purchasing my home the above properties were for sale too. I was reassured by my real estate agent that they would sell. Unfortunately, they have not sold due to the financial crisis that has effected us all in some way or another. The owner of 1600 Rosedale Street NE is Mr. Ifeday O Osuntuyi. Mr. Osuntuyi was not able to sell the home and he eventually reserved 1600 Rosedale Street NE as a Section 8 home. The Section 8 tenant moved out on January 2009 and the property is currently vacant. In addition, the tenant left debris in the yard and it needs to be cleaned.

More importantly, 1600 Rosedale Street NE has been broken into repeatedly by teenagers/young adults and used as a place away from adult supervision to use drugs and host parties. I have seen homeless people using 1600 Rosedale Street NE as shelter and I’ve seen small children run in and out of the house playing hide n seek (I caught a little girl running out of the house this past Saturday 04/04/09. She was crying because her friend was stuck inside the refrigerator-they were playing hide n seek). The back door of the home is used to enter and exit. Several calls to the police have been made by other Rosedale residents and I.

1604 Rosedale Street NE is owned by Countrywide and is foreclosed. The property has been vacant for the past 8 months, however, the past 2 months the house has been broken in repeatedly by preteens/teenagers and used as a place to away from adult supervision to use drugs and host parties. I have also seen homeless people using 1604 as shelter. Similar to 1600 Rosedale Street NE teenagers/young adults and homeless use the back door to enter and exit.

1610 Rosedale Street NE is owned by Ms. Tamika R Warren who currently resides in Sunrise, FL. The property has been vacant for the past year. Similar to 1600 and 1604 the property is used by the homeless and by teenagers. The ally window of the home is used to enter and exit.

I am requesting assistance to have the back doors and windows of 1600, 1604 and 1610 Rosedale Street NE secured and board up properly. I have been proactive and have called the police on numerous occasions and filed reports with them. In addition, I filed Vacant Property Reports with the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) and have contacted the local news (ABC-WJLA).

In addition to 1600, 1604 and 1610 Rosedale Street NE the below properties are vacant and also need to be secured and board up properly (especially the back of the homes which are vulnerable).

1601 Rosedale Street NE (Lot # 4540-0272 owned by Red Door Houses, LLC

1603 Rosedale Street NE (Lot # unknown)

1605 Rosedale Street NE (Lot # unknown)

1607 Rosedale Street NE (Lot # unknown)

There was a burglary attempt made on my home on March 26 (my back door screen was cut, a knife, shovel and other tools were laid on my back door step). I filed a police report and changed alarms systems. Vacant property not only affects me directly but Ward 6a residents, including the children who use these homes as playgrounds. As you already know vacant property can led to rodent infestation, provide safe harbor for criminal activities, pose fire hazards, and decrease property values, become a duping ground for trash and debris and discourage neighborhood stabilization.
Please let me know what steps I should take as a citizen to have the above properties properly secured. I plan on attending this months ANC 6A meeting Thursday April 9th at Miner Elementary School. I look forward to meeting the entire committee.

Anonymous said...

April 6, 2009


Chairman Joseph Fengler
Vice Chair David Holmes
Treasurer Nick Alberti
Secretary Bill Schultheiss
Advisory Neighborhood Committee 6A
P.O. Box 75115
Washington, DC 20002

Dear ANC Chairman Fengler:

I moved to the district in 2001 after earning my Master of Education from Saint Michael’s College. In 2006 I searched for my first home in the DC area and finally purchased a home on Rosedale Street NE. However, before I purchased my home I was concerned with the following addresses:

1600 Rosedale Street NE (Lot # 4540-0266

1604 Rosedale Street NE (Lot # 4540-0264

1610 Rosedale Street NE (Lot # 4540-0261)

Prior to purchasing my home the above properties were for sale too. I was reassured by my real estate agent that they would sell. Unfortunately, they have not sold due to the financial crisis that has effected us all in some way or another. The owner of 1600 Rosedale Street NE is Mr. Ifeday O Osuntuyi. Mr. Osuntuyi was not able to sell the home and he eventually reserved 1600 Rosedale Street NE as a Section 8 home. The Section 8 tenant moved out on January 2009 and the property is currently vacant. In addition, the tenant left debris in the yard and it needs to be cleaned.

More importantly, 1600 Rosedale Street NE has been broken into repeatedly by teenagers/young adults and used as a place away from adult supervision to use drugs and host parties. I have seen homeless people using 1600 Rosedale Street NE as shelter and I’ve seen small children run in and out of the house playing hide n seek (I caught a little girl running out of the house this past Saturday 04/04/09. She was crying because her friend was stuck inside the refrigerator-they were playing hide n seek). The back door of the home is used to enter and exit. Several calls to the police have been made by other Rosedale residents and I.

1604 Rosedale Street NE is owned by Countrywide and is foreclosed. The property has been vacant for the past 8 months, however, the past 2 months the house has been broken in repeatedly by preteens/teenagers and used as a place to away from adult supervision to use drugs and host parties. I have also seen homeless people using 1604 as shelter. Similar to 1600 Rosedale Street NE teenagers/young adults and homeless use the back door to enter and exit.

1610 Rosedale Street NE is owned by Ms. Tamika R Warren who currently resides in Sunrise, FL. The property has been vacant for the past year. Similar to 1600 and 1604 the property is used by the homeless and by teenagers. The ally window of the home is used to enter and exit.

I am requesting assistance to have the back doors and windows of 1600, 1604 and 1610 Rosedale Street NE secured and board up properly. I have been proactive and have called the police on numerous occasions and filed reports with them. In addition, I filed Vacant Property Reports with the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) and have contacted the local news (ABC-WJLA).

In addition to 1600, 1604 and 1610 Rosedale Street NE the below properties are vacant and also need to be secured and board up properly (especially the back of the homes which are vulnerable).

1601 Rosedale Street NE (Lot # 4540-0272 owned by Red Door Houses, LLC

1603 Rosedale Street NE (Lot # unknown)

1605 Rosedale Street NE (Lot # unknown)

1607 Rosedale Street NE (Lot # unknown)

There was a burglary attempt made on my home on March 26 (my back door screen was cut, a knife, shovel and other tools were laid on my back door step). I filed a police report and changed alarms systems. Vacant property not only affects me directly but Ward 6a residents, including the children who use these homes as playgrounds. As you already know vacant property can led to rodent infestation, provide safe harbor for criminal activities, pose fire hazards, and decrease property values, become a duping ground for trash and debris and discourage neighborhood stabilization.
Please let me know what steps I should take as a citizen to have the above properties properly secured. I plan on attending this months ANC 6A meeting Thursday April 9th at Miner Elementary School. I look forward to meeting the entire committee.

Sincerly,

Miss. Amber Westbrook
amber_westbrook@yahoo.com