DC Vacant Properties

509 O ST NW

2011-11-10T08:47:00.000-08:00

CCCA pres. has a blog entry about a property that has been featured here. He is asking why is this property not considered blighted according to the tax office.

2300 blk Randolph St. NE

2011-10-23T07:13:00.000-07:00

On the MPD 5D listserv this was reported:

This probably isn't the right group for this, but I'm not sure where else to check... 2300 blk Randolph St. NE (corner of 24th and Randolph) appears to be recently vacated/abandoned. In the last 2 weeks or so the building has fallen into disrepair nearly on a daily basis - there are numerous missing upstairs windows (and frames), the electric meter is disconnected and most recently chunks of siding have been pulled off. My concern is it's starting to look like a place where people could conceivably be squatting, not to mention being a potential fire trap waiting to go up. Is there anything that can be done?

Several responded from MPD and the Ward Councilman's office but the best advice was:

Reporting Vacant Property

Individuals can report vacant property directly to DCRA by calling (202) 442-4332 or by emailing dcra@dc.gov.

City Post Vacant Properties

2011-09-13T06:22:00.000-07:00

I've been amiss in posting. But there is a huge listing of Vacant Properties put out by DCRA that you can find here.
Someone has taken that list and mapped them out here.
But I'll just enbed the map.

509 O Street NW classified as Class 4

2011-06-02T04:51:00.000-07:00

According to a June 1st email that a citizen living on that block received a very blighted property was listed under the wrong tax code instead of the class of code at a higher and more punitative rate. Please see the following:

Mr. Smith

Thanks for taking my call today.

The subject property is actually classified as a blighted property. The problem that we've been having is that because it is designated as two "condo" lots (each with a "2000" lot number) the OTR property management system is designed to not change the classification and therefore it must be done manually. Fortunately this situation only applies to about 2 to 3 condo properties each year.

In recent months I have spoken with the assessment services division at OTR about a process to address this issue and together we are going to ensure that it does not happen again.

I apologize for the error.

The current tax liability on this property is as follows, and it reflects blight taxes for FY2011.

Lot 2001 - $13740.80 for FY2011

Lot 2002 - $18434.26 for FY2011

The property also has a combined $72,000+ in vacant and blighted taxes from FY2009 & FY2010.

Moving forward, within the next 48 hours our abatement department will visit the property and secure it where necessary. Also, the property owners are being brought back before the BCIB (condemnation board) on July 13th at 10:15am. Should you wish to attend the hearing, you may do so as they are open to the public. If you with to testify before the Board pertaining to the property itself, please submit as a request in writing.

If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to call or email me direct.

Regards,

Reuben Pemberton, III
Program Manager
Office of Vacant Property/BCIB

455 Q St NW

2011-05-16T06:20:00.000-07:00

CCCA President MM has posted this as a problem house:

"The front yard is a mess, the front door ajar, people have broken into
the house through the 2nd floor. A unlocked and open door is an invitation for the many homeless vagrants, former offenders and sex offenders, thieves (and God knows who) -- that pass through our community every day as they take advantage of local services -- to squat, engage in crime, illicit drug use, stash weapons, hide and escape from MPD pursuit, and/or start fires. Properties like this only make things more difficult for others in the community who want to maintain and clean and safe neighborhood."

Mount Vernon Square Lisitings of Vacant Housing

2011-03-03T05:07:00.000-08:00

This has been around since last month and it is reflective of citizens being active, collecting information and empowering themselves with tools that make the city accountable. This being the Mount Vernon Square Vacant Property Survey. You can see the actual survey here. Some listing have photographs and there is information about the owner and if there are any permits out for it.

DCRA and Vacant Properties

2010-10-22T05:28:00.000-07:00

HT to the CCCA blog and it's 10/22 post about a pilot project to work with residents in the Convention Center Civic and Mount Vernon Square Civic Assocations' areas.
DCRA has a page for owners and residents to register or report vacant properties should the map that CCCA and the MVSA people have doesn't jive with what one sees walking, biking or just living in the neighborhood.
A property can be considered 'vacant' if it has:

low or no utilities usage;

an accumulation of mail;

a lack of furniture or window coverings;

open accessibility;

deferred maintenance, including loose or falling gutters, severe paint chipping, or overgrown grass;

been the subject of neighbor complaints about the property; and

been boarded up.

My only concern, as one who likes private property rights, is for vacation or low use property that is not a nuiance and is off-grid. But regardless in an urban setting rotting mail, boards on windows and doors, bad maintenance and drawing complaints should make a property listed as vacant.

509 O Street NW

2010-09-23T05:50:00.000-07:00

Credit D. Smith

This is from the Shaw neighborhood listserv. From the email sent the poster had brought this property to the attention to Mr. Majett at DCRA and has found the response from the city unsatisfying.
From my own walk bys of the property it has been an abandoned shell for a good long while. It has much possiblity but currently it is an eyesore and from the evidence a possible hangout for vagrants.
Also according to the email sent to the listserv:

Credit D. Smith
The on-line OTR property tax data base (difficult to find in the new DC government website design) continues to show both "units" as Class 1 Residential with no exemptions, rather than Class 3 Blighted. I am wondering if their status has actually been changed or not. And if not, why not. The most current list of blighted properties posted on-line (also difficult to find) is for the first half of 2010 and this property does not appear on it.

Looking to form a Vacant Prop Team

2010-07-28T05:56:00.001-07:00

Vacant prop
Originally uploaded by In Shaw

I want to thank Ed for passing this blog on to me. I have no great plans for it but to make it a resource several people will need to make use of this blog as a place to post and bring attention to vacant properties in DC. Not just Shaw, though that's my area, but the rest of the city from Columbia Heights to Deanwood and other neighborhoods where the city and property owners have failed and left eyesores and danger pits.
Now I am not going to scour the city looking for vacant properties. No. I'm too lazy for that. So I invite other bloggers to join and use this site to be a record to be pointed to in regards to this one subject. This would be particularly useful if you're like me and you blog about a lot of other stuff that aren't vacant buildings.

Help Wanted

2010-07-22T23:59:00.000-07:00

This space has been quiet for some time. Two years ago we moved to Alexandria to raise our family. We needed a bigger house, better schools, less crime, easier parking, etc. We miss our neighbors and the neighborhood. We miss the vibrancy of city life: the restaurants, the galleries, the shops. An ideal place to live would combine the best of both worlds. For now, we'll try to bring a little bit of the best of city to the suburbs.

Also in the past two years, the city council in their infinite wisdom repealed the vacant property tax. "Unintended consequences" was the supposed reason. Allegedly, some occupied residences were mistakenly classified as vacant. People have written to this blog claiming as such but refuse to give their addresses even though real estate tax records are open to the public. Repealing the tax is throwing the baby out with the bath water. I suspect developers, like felon Douglas Jemal, objected to the recent uptick in enforcement and applied pressure on their favorite city councilmen (Jack, Mike). The tax could have brought in $150 million a year.

This in probably my last post. If anyone would like to continue this blog please add a comment including your email address. The comments are reviewed before posting so your email address will not be published.

Latest Potential Maybe Sometime Use For Wonder Bread Factory - Housing Complex - Washington City Paper

2010-07-22T19:46:00.000-07:00

Latest Potential Maybe Sometime Use For Wonder Bread Factory - Housing Complex - Washington City Paper: "As far as actual effort, though, it’s unclear how much the company is putting in. Doug Jemal bought the building back in 1997–the deed shows a purchase price of $10–and Chip Ellis wanted to buy it in 2006 as part of his burgeoning Shaw entertainment hub. Now, the factory isn’t listed on the company’s website (though it features many other vacant retail spaces downtown). They might want to do something with it soon, because tax records show that Douglas is in arrears by $113,916.86 for 2009 and the first half of 2010."

Fun With Pie Charts: Vacant Property Edition - Housing Complex - Washington City Paper

2010-07-22T19:37:00.000-07:00

Fun With Pie Charts: Vacant Property Edition - Housing Complex - Washington City Paper: "Under the vacant property taxation changes made for the 2011 budget cycle, owners of unused properties will have to pay $250 to register them, and then pay $5 per $100 of assessed value in yearly property taxes, unless they qualify for one of a host of exemptions. The intention is to make it more expensive for delinquent landowners to keep their properties empty. That could mean that the lowest-income wards with the most vacant properties could benefit most from the legislation–even if organizations and individuals without the money to develop their properties wind up having to sell to avoid the tax."

Vincent Abell Wants to Buy City-Owned Vacant Property - Housing Complex - Washington City Paper

2010-07-22T19:19:00.000-07:00

"Last April, Attorney General Peter Nickles filed the suit against “23 of the very worst ’slumlords,’ asking the court to put many of their properties into receivership so the city could make sure rents got spent on making repairs. A few weeks later, Nickles released a revised list, touting the addition of several more landlords.”

Now, Abell wants to buy one of the vacant properties auctioned off on January 30 by the city. Abell had the top bid on 3022 Channing Street N.E."

dcexaminer: Frightening but true

2008-10-02T22:12:00.000-07:00

She had been a gang member but wants out. He puts her in a witness protection ... for a carload of gang members and forced her to a vacant apartment building. ...

MPD-3D: Report of Suspicious Activity - 911 not helpful

2008-10-02T21:55:00.000-07:00

[Trying to catch up on posts. This is about 465 New York Avenue -Ed.]

Hello Commander,

I called 911 last night to report suspicious activity and I received no help since I didn't have an exact street address to give the operator.

There is a vacant building that is being renovated next door to the Yale Steam Laundry building. As I was walking back from Safeway at about 8:45pm last night, I saw two young black males (one with a back-pack) walk into the vacant building. The windows are boarded up and there are no lights on...

Note from DCRA

2008-10-02T21:40:00.000-07:00

[I received this some time ago, Aug 14, and missed posting it.-Ed.]

To Ed,

The D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) launched an aggressive campaign in 2007 to identify all vacant properties in the District and to encourage property owners to return their properties to a good and productive use.

As with any new initiative, there were some bumps in the road.

With the new tax bills hitting property owner’s mailboxes tomorrow, we want to assure you that new quality control measures have been implemented to avoid the same issues that property owners lamented about this past spring.

We have revamped the DCRA Web site to include answers to important and frequently asked questions, an updated list of properties classified as vacant and more accessible information on how to contact us to request an exemption and/or corrections.

You can be assured that it was not our intent to cause undue stress for property owners.

DCRA is working closely with property owners to ensure compliance with the District’s vacant property registration law and to correct any errors that have been made. Property owners who feel their property was incorrectly classified as vacant and recently received a tax bill at the vacant tax rate are encouraged to contact DCRA immediately at (202) 442-4332.

Additional information, vacant property registration forms and the appeal process are available online at www.dcra.dc.gov under “Vacant Property.”

We hope that you’ll help us communicate this information to your readers. Call me at anytime to chat. We would love to have your support in our efforts.

Michael Rupert
Public Information Officer
Office of the Director

Dept. of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs
941 North Capitol Street, NE Suite 9500
Washington, DC 20002

Office: (202) 442-4513
Mobile: (202) 437-1024

Fax: (202) 442-9445
michael.rupert@dc.gov

www.dcra.dc.gov

Comment to Fifth and Oh: Holding Your Nose

2008-10-02T20:55:00.000-07:00

It has been pointed out that Mr. Sendar is still not paying the vacant properties taxes on his long vacant building in Shaw. Why does Mr. Pedro and Mr. Evans demand that variances be given instead of demanding that the correct taxes be paid? Why are they all carrot and no stick? How many other "developers" are getting by without paying the proper rates? Time and again, Mr. Evans is pressing for loopholes and variances, and handouts for developers with threats that progress will bypass the community if such and such isn't done. The Convention Center was supposed to lift up the community; it didn't. In contrast, just look across the river to working class immigrant communities in Arlington. Every single commercial building is being used. Shops are thriving. People are working. They aren't stuggling under high property assessments because some "developer" held out for an unreasonable sum or subsidies, i.e., TIF.

I usually refrain from commentary on this blog and just try to present the facts and information for others to take action. Now that the laws have been changed, there are no more excuses of simple government ineptitude. It is time for a serious criminal investigation into the millions of tax dollars that have gone unpaid.

Below is my comment posted to Fifth and Oh:

Now that DCRA and OTR are finally making vacant property owners pay the higher tax rate, Mr. Sendar gets all concerned about selling the property. This shows that high vacant property taxes, when enforced, do have an effect; something Jack Evans doubted when I testified before the subcommittee last year. It is not holding a grudge to expect a property owner to obey the laws like everyone else. The only thing stopping him from selling the property now at a reasonable price is his greed. In fact, there is no guaranty that he will sell if he gets the variance. His only incentives are the high taxes and perhaps fines for violations of the vacant building maintenance standards (still waiting for enforcement).

Giving a variance now only increases the price of vacant property which in turn stifles small business development. Who can afford to buy this building and rehab it? Since assessments are based in large part on recent sales prices in the neighborhood who can afford to pay the higher property taxes? Granting a variance now to a speculator helps only the speculator and hurts everyone else.

Vacant D.C. property to get makeover after 20 years of rot - Examiner.com

2008-08-04T18:15:00.000-07:00

"The District bought the four-level complex from Vincent Abell, manager of Modern Management Inc., on April 29 for $3.1 million, roughly $100,000 more than the market rate appraisal. The building’s 2008 taxable assessment was $1.1 million."

Silverman Unveils New Program to Make Neighborhoods Safer

2008-07-15T18:50:00.000-07:00

"Ward 2 Candidate Cary Silverman proposed a new city program today that would build neighborhood safety by helping more of the District's police officers, firefighters, and public school teachers to live in the local neighborhoods. Silverman's plan would use one hundred District-owned vacant houses and several hundred vacant lots to provide affordable housing opportunities to those who are vital to the District's safety and education."

The Concerned Citizens of Oakwood Street

2008-07-14T20:21:00.000-07:00

June 23, 2008

Good Afternoon,

Has there been any follow up on our June 9th email? Our community can not keep relying on MPD to resolve all the problems created by having these vacant and/or nuisance properties in our community. If these buildings would be abated it would improve our community and make the residents safer.

We are pleading for assistance and swift action.

Best regards,

The Concerned Citizens of Oakwood Street

To:

Linda Argo, Director

Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs

Malcolm Avant, Manager of Vacant Properties

Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs

Phillip Pugh, Housting Inspections Program Manager

Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs

Roger Lovett, Ward 8 Inspections and Compliance Supervisor

Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs

Stephen Cordi, Deputy Chief Financial Officer

Office of Tax & Revenue

Richie McKeithen, Director of Real Property Tax Administration

Office of Tax & Revenue

David Fitzgibbon, Chief Appraiser

Office of Tax & Revenue

Cc:

Diane Groomes,Asst Chief of Police

MPD

Joel Maupin, Commander 7D

MPD

Robert Nixon, Community Outreach Specialist

US Attorney General's Office

Isha Foster Lee, Ward 8 Outreach and Service Specialist

Mayor'sOffice of Community Relations & Services

Benjamin C. Miller, Director of Audits and Compliance

DC Housing Authority

6412 Barnaby Street, NW

2008-07-14T19:56:00.001-07:00

Ed,

Here's my favorite vacant property, 6412 Barnaby St, NW 20015. It's
just down the street from my place on Utah Ave. It went to a tax sale
last July, but DC doesn't record a sale or no owner.

Best regards,
J. H.

4334 Klingle Street, NW

2008-07-14T19:46:00.000-07:00

4334 Klingle Street, N.W. has been vacant since 2001. The owner moved out then ostensibly to begin renovation/expansion of the house. The house has been in a state of partial renovation since that time. For at least the last two years, the house has had no siding and has been covered only by tar paper. For a long period the roof was covered by a blue tarp and had no shingles. The blue tarp remains on the rear to cover an open window. Much of the rear yard is covered with weeds, where not eroded from lack of proper drainage, and has construction material (untouched in years) sitting around.

Despite being vacant and being listed on the city's vacant property list since at least 2004, the owner is currently receiving the senior citizen homestead deduction. From tax records, it appears that the city rescinded its assessment of the vacant property tax rate against the property in 2008 and has retroactively credited the owner for overpayment of taxes for tax years 2005, 2006, and 2007.

Great project you're carrying on!

RealClearMarkets - Articles - Pols Remain Masters of Domain

2008-06-27T19:12:00.000-07:00

"Most Americans object to such takings because the intended uses of the land don’t justify violating property rights when the owner is unwilling to sell to government. But as Jacobs observed, another important objection is that government planners often do a lousy job of anticipating the marketplace when they take property to be developed into something new. What I call mega-project ‘state capitalism,’ the grandiose schemes of politicians and their planners to invest public money in big projects like stadiums, downtown super-malls, and subsidized entertainment districts, has been on the rise for years, often with disastrous results which should have given the Supreme Court justices pause before they gave their blessings to seizures that 'provide appreciable benefits to the community.'

Indeed, the very redevelopment project that sparked the Kelo lawsuit, an effort by the town of New London, Ct., to turn its Fort Trumbull waterfront into a haven for high-priced homes and 21st century jobs, has sputtered. The ground where Susette Kelo’s home stood is now barren, because the townhouses that the city-sponsored developer was supposed to build there have never gone up."

Re: DCRA/OTC Property Survey Results - PSA 705

2008-06-15T21:37:00.000-07:00

Because sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words.

Attached please fine photographs of just some of the vacant properties in our area. These properties are only separated by a block - at most two blocks. In the case of the vacant properties on Orange Street, there are three vacant properties in a row.

We are also attaching photographs of the destruction of property crime (CNN 077-960) that took place early morning June 8th. A vandal using bricks taken from the vacant and poorly maintained property at 2816 2nd St proceeded to launch them from the backyard of that same vacant property damaging cars parked on the street. We are including a photograph of the smashed windshield of a car parked on the street. 2816 2nd St has been vacant for many, many years (according to neighbors over 10 years). There is no excuse for this property as well as the others being unresolved. A developer has even offered to purchase 2816 2nd street to renovate it but the current owner refuses to sell - and why should he? So far there has been no consequences for him failing to maintain his property or to find a suitable occupant.

We can no longer wait for the city to take action. We need private security to be stationed at these properties, additional lighting and construction crews out here WORKING to bring these properties up to code. If the city wants to recoup these funds from the owners then they should do so but we can not wait another day waiting for city agencies to take action because if history has shown us anything it is that nothing is happening. These buildings are literally being left to rot.

Please note that we have also made several requests to the Department of Public Works to install trash cans on these blocks and they have refused to do so. According to several DPW closed service tickets. " these are residential areas and we do not install litter cans in residential areas". Please find photos of what desperate residents have been forced to do to try and combat the litter problem on their streets. The only agency that consistently responds to our requests for assistance (criminal or otherwise) is MPD (specifically Asst. Chief Groomes and Commander Joel Maupin) but MPD can not be expected to pick up the ball were all these other agencies appear to have dropped it.

Ward 8 cares about our community - does anyone else?

We are desperate for some assistance so we are cc'ing news and media agencies in hopes that they will be able to bring additional attention to the plight of our community. We are here and we are doing our part but we need assistance and follow up from city agencies.

Best regards,

The Concerned Citizens of Oakwood Street

DCRA/OTC Property Survey Results - PSA 705

2008-06-15T21:27:00.000-07:00

[This letter was passed on to me by email. --Ed.]

June 9, 2008
To:

Linda Argo, Director
Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs

Malcolm Avant, Manager of Vacant Properties
Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs

Phillip Pugh, Housting Inspections Program Manager
Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs

Roger Lovett, Ward 8 Inspections and Compliance Supervisor
Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs

Stephen Cordi, Deputy Chief Financial Officer
Office of Tax & Revenue

Richie McKeithen, Director of Real Property Tax Administration
Office of Tax & Revenue

David Fitzgibbon, Chief Appraiser
Office of Tax & Revenue

Cc:

Diane Groomes,Asst Chief of Police
MPD

Joel Maupin, Commander 7D
MPD

Robert Nixon, Community Outreach Specialist
US Attorney General's Office

Isha Foster Lee, Ward 8 Outreach and Service Specialist
Mayor'sOffice of Community Relations & Services

Benjamin C. Miller, Director of Audits and Compliance
DC Housing Authority

Good Evening,

Over the past 5 weeks our community organization, The Concerned Citizens of Oakwood Street has exchanged over 200 emails with members of the different city agencies (DCRA, MDP, MOE, USADC,AMBRA, NPR to name a few) to address issues in our community.

No issue is higher on our list than the issue of vacant and/or nuisance properties. These properties are not only an eyesore but are breeding crime in our community and unfortunately there does not seem to be a real plan in place to either abate or eliminate these properties.

After many,many, many written requests ; 23 properties (6 vacant and 17 residential) were inspected/reinspected by DCRA inspectors in May 2008. The results of those inspections are included on the attached spreadsheet.

CCOS took the results of those inspections and cross referenced them with the tax, sales and crime information for these properties posted on the DC website (www.dc.gov) and have compiled the following results (see attached spreadsheet). Please note that the DCRA list of vacant properties is no longer accessible from the DCRA website. It appears the link has been removed. Prior to the link being removed CCOS visited the list and several of the Vacant Properties listed were classified as vacant in 2005/2006.

To put it mildly the results of the survey were very disappointing and illustrate serious failures to execute the most basic agency policies.

VACANT PROPERTIES

* Of the 6 vacant properties that were inspected only half (3) are currently classified as Tax 3 Class - Vacant

* Of the 3 vacant properties that are classified as Tax 3 Class - Vacant , the first time they have been taxed as Vacant is the first half of 2008 - although at least two of these properties have been vacant for almost 10 years and have been on the DCRA Vacant Property list for at least 2 years. This is very concerning as this represents lost revenue that could have been collected and used to benefit our community.

* 3 of the vacant properties have 4 OUTSTANDING liens from Clean City. 1 lien is from 1999, 2 liens are from 2000 and the latest lien is from 2003. If one assumes these liens represent property maintenance issues this clearly demonstrates a systematic failure in not only the enforcement of property laws but in the collection of fines and liens. There is also a special assessment from 2003 that has yet to be collected. The total amount from these outstanding liens totals $788.69. Residents have been complaining for months, in some cases years about these properties yet nothing happens. To see that the most recent fine was from 5 years ago and it has taken almost a decade and a lien still has not been collected demonstrates HUGE failures of the current system. Honest, hardworking citizens who keep their properties up to code AND pay their taxes feel robbed by the system. We feel victimized twice - once by the owners of these nuisance/vacant properties and again by city agencies who fail to follow through with correcting the issue.

* Based on the owner mailing addresses of these vacant properties 3 of the 6 owners have mailing addresses within DC, 3 have mailing addresses in Maryland.

OCCUPIED RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES

* 1 property, a very large apartment complex could not be located in the tax assessment or sales database posted on the OTR website. The Public Housing website was down however CCOS members have checked in the past and been unable to locate this property on the public housing directory. This is known nuisance property were quality of life issues (graffiti, loitering, vandalism) and violent crimes occur regularly. MPD has done their part to monitor this area but there seems to be no support or proactive follow up from DCRA.

* Several properties are receiving either the Homestead or Senior Citizens Tax Deduction although it appears they do not qualify. Either because the property is a rental property or the owner no longer (or ever) resides at the property. In the case of one nuisance property which has been the site of much drug activity the owner has been deceased for over a year, yet the property is still receiving the Senior Citizens discount tax (taxes for the first part of 2008 were $196.40). This property also has a lien on it from WASA for $1,574.94 (please note these property is routinely without basic utilities - residents have been seen relieving themselves outside).

* There are UNCOLLECTED 3 "Clean City" liens, totalling $400 going back as far as 1995. Please note that according to the OTR website one of these properties currently owes Clean City $300 in liens yet has continued to receive tax credits from the city for 4 years - 3 of those years not having to pay property taxes at all. One would think that before any credits were issued that the liens would have to be paid. There is also a Nuisance tax for another property that was posted in 1993 that still has not been collected.

* There are several Water and Sewer liens. All of these properties are occupied and at least one with children. Has anyone checked to see if these homes have running water or utilities? The WASA liens alone total almost $2200

* Of the properties that have been identified as "drug houses" all but one appear to inhabited by Section 8 tenants. Once again the police are doing their part when they are called but it does not appear to be any follow up by the department handling Section 9 rentals. At least three of these drug houses contain small children. CFSA has been notified but it is unknown weather they have paid a visit. The children are still there and the drug dealing is still going on.

Please note that these figures were compiled by one lone citizen over the course of 5 hours from the ww.dc.gov website. If one person with limited access to data was able to pull together these figures there is no explanation for DCRA and the Office of Tax and Revenue not to be able to at least do the same. We are also a photograph of two vacant properties, 2816 2nd St SE and 450 Oakwood St SE (both have had the yards mowed by the city in the past 10 days).

We implore all of you (once again)to please take immediate action - none of us can afford not to!

Best regards,

--
Concerned Citizens of Oakwood Street
citizensofoakwoodst@gmail.com

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." -Margaret Mead

Life in Mount Vernon Square: PSA 308 Community Walk

2008-06-15T19:37:00.000-07:00

"MPDs Marco Santiago & Lt. Pate bravely checking out a vacant building. you dont want to know what was down there."

renewshaw.com: To Whom Much Is Given

2008-06-15T19:36:00.000-07:00

"This April, the District received another significant round of property tax payments from Shiloh Baptist Church for Shiloh's portfolio of vacant properties in Shaw. In all, Shiloh paid $94,835.03 in property taxes this April"

SILVERMAN DENOUNCES ANTI-NEIGHBORHOOD AMENDMENTS TO IMPORTANT VACANT PROPERTY LEGISLATION

2008-06-15T19:15:00.000-07:00

Media: "“It’s clear that Ward 2’s current council member is more concerned about protecting derelict property owners and developers than he is about helping those that actually live in our neighborhoods deal with the fallout,” Silverman said. “It’s time to get serious about nuisance properties and elect a council member who takes this problem seriously.”"

Another Tax Scandal

2008-03-11T11:23:00.000-07:00

The latest estimate of losses from the DC property tax refund scheme is over $50 million. Although that number is shocking, there is another albeit quieter scam that is costing DC taxpayers that much every year.

The Washington Business Journal reported on the lack of enforcement of the vacant property tax all the way back in 1998 (see below). At the time Natwar Gandhi, then director of the Office of Tax and Revenue, said, "Unfortunately, there are many properties that should be in Class 5 (vacant rate) but are not." The situation remains the same today.

Let's try to estimate the magnitude of the problem. We can easily assume that there are at least 3,000 vacant properties in DC. No one knows the true number but DCRA has put the number in the 2000-3000 range and many many properties known to be vacant are still not listed on DC's rolls. Say half are not paying the class 3 rate. This is a very conservative estimate. The median property value in the District is about $435,350 according to the DC Fiscal Policy Institute. And the vacant property tax now stands at 10%. So here we go:

1,500 (half of 3,000 properties) x $435,350 (median property value) x 10% (tax rate) =

$65,302,500

That is $65 million in tax dollars that goes uncollected every year. The real numbers are probably higher. We won't know until the mayor, the city council, or congress fully investigates these properties. Not only are heavily taxed residents and businesses getting ripped off by inflated taxes due in part to these properties not being properly taxed, but vacant properties contribute to crime and blight in DC's most needy neighborhoods.

Why is this allowed to occur? I can only assume that some vacant property owners must have enough political pull to avoid penalties. Not surprisingly, DC city government owns the most vacant properties. Churches own another large portion of rundown buildings. Certain well-connected developers also fail to pay the proper taxes on their numerous "investments". Granted, the mayor inherited this mess. But we should question the lack of action by two figures that have been around from the beginning, Natwar Gandhi and the chairman of the finance committee, Jack Evans. They've done little to address this problem.

Available for renovation?

2008-02-11T18:58:00.000-08:00

From the mailbag:

"I've been thinking about how to deal with this for a long time because
there are just so many of these places rotting away. Some of them are
spectacular too; its a damn shame that nobody is doing anything with
them. . . Which brings me to my point. I want to try to buy one of
these places myself and make it useful again. My idea is to pay for
as little as humanly possible, try to salvage as much as I can from
the original building, make use of reclaimed materials, and throw
build parties to try to get some free labor for the heavy stuff. I
basically view it as an art project I can live in for a while and then
sell to a family that can really use it. I have some fairly handy
friends who I could enlist if we had a place to work with as well.

It seems like you have good readership on your blog, and maybe some
idea of how to go about acquiring one of these properties so I thought
you'd be interested. I need to get in touch with the right people in
the city govt and basically just get out the word that this is going
on. I'm not rolling in money or anything, but I'd be able to put up
some cash for this venture, and I'd love to find some other people who
might want to contribute time money or materials in exchange for
equity in the finished product.

Any thoughts?

-Clay"

Thieves eye Asian-food delivery drivers - Examiner.com

2008-01-31T20:24:00.000-08:00

"Robbers call the Chinese-carryout restaurants and order the food to be delivered to the wrong address or to a vacant home, police said. When the driver arrives, the robbers take the food, as well as the driver’s money and cell phone. In one case, they stole the car, too. Several drivers have told officers that they’ve been robbed several times....
Police have boarded up a vacant home in 5100 block of 13th Street Northwest that was used at least twice by robbers"

1316 9th Street, NW

2008-01-09T18:56:00.000-08:00

This former barbershop was bought by a developer on 09/13/2007 for $300,000. The developer's presentation at the ANC2f meeting on 1/9/2008 was very encouraging and I wish them luck.

It should be noted that the building is in horrible condition due to the negligence of the previous owners and the city government's inaction. Remarkably, it is not listed as vacant by OTR or DCRA. The current owner is entitled to an exemption though.

FOXNews.com - Death of Main Street, One Local Zoning Law at a Time - Opinion

2008-01-07T19:46:00.000-08:00

"Local officials who simultaneously decry big box stores and national chains while doling out burdensome regulatory structures and complicated permit processes should understand that regulatory burdens hit the smaller, independent places hardest, because they're the places that have the smallest amount of discretionary cash to hire legal aid (or, if you're really cynical, to make the appropriate campaign contributions). They're on a tighter budget and, therefore, have a smaller margin of error when it comes to hassles like delaying an opening because some bureaucrat determined their signage is a couple of inches out of compliance."
by Radley Balko

No teeth in D.C. tax on vacant land - Washington Business Journal:

2008-01-03T23:49:00.000-08:00

"The District is not enforcing its controversial Class 5 tax rate on much of the city's vacant land, even though the D.C. Council imposed the higher rate to stimulate development.

Developers have criticized the higher rate, saying it discourages investment in real estate in the District. But not all owners of vacant or undeveloped properties are paying the higher Class 5 rate of $5 per $100 assessed value, compared with the $2.15 per $100 rate paid by owners of other commercial property.

'They pay $5 if we can identify them,' said Natwar Gandhi, director of the Office of Tax and Revenue. 'Unfortunately, there are many properties that should be in Class 5 but are not.'

Only 2,979 properties, less than 2 percent of the District's 154,582 taxable parcels, are classified as vacant or unoccupied. City officials have no estimate of how many more properties should be in that classification."
by Thomas C. Hall
Washington Business Journal
June 26, 1998
[Note: This was published in 1998.--Ed.]

Signs on vacant property

2008-01-03T21:19:00.001-08:00

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.

ANC2C02 Forum - Vacant Props

2008-01-03T20:52:00.000-08:00

"With more and more ex-offenders, some without housing, being released and returning to their old stomping grounds, these vacant and sometimes unsecured properties present even more of a problem for vacant property owners and neighboring residents.
So when an undisclosable source told me that a rifle was found in a property, like the one pictured, about 10 doors from my home and only a few hundred yards from Scott Montgomery Elementary a few weeks ago. I thought it was worth informing the community publicly. The City and our Councilmember have dropped the ball on this issue and we need more ammunition like this to hold them accountable for keeping our communities unsafe."

[I don't know how I missed this posting.--Ed.]

DC Government Data Feeds

2008-01-03T19:33:00.000-08:00

From the mail bag:

"I work with the Citywide Data Warehouse group in DC Government. I noticed your site links to our webpage under Government links; however, it is listed as CapStat. Our group has been renamed to Citywide Data Warehouse since you first posted this. There is a new CapStat page at http://capstat.oca.dc.gov/.

Although we are not currently receiving data from the DCRA Vacant Property group, our Office of Tax & Revenue Registered Vacant Property dataset may assist you when reporting on properties throughout the District. The data catalog is available at http://data.octo.dc.gov/.

If we can be of any assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact our team at CityDW@dc.gov.

Regards,
Julia Williams
Program Outreach and Training Coordinator
Office of the Chief Technology Officer
1350 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Suite C-01
Washington, DC 20004
Phone: 202-727-0078
Fax: 202-727-9767
Email: julia.williams@dc.gov
Website: www.citydw.octo.dc.gov"

925 5th Street, NW

2008-01-03T19:31:00.000-08:00

From the mail bag:

"Love your vacant property blog. I have a question about 925 5th Street NW. Tony Cheng (the owner of the property) has removed the roof (it had a tree growing out of it anyway). The back of the property is secured by plywood. Drug users and homeless are using the building by pulling off the plywood and/or climbing over the plywood. This is clearly a violation. The building is not secure and I'm not sure that you can have a vacant building without a roof. What do I need to do to get this property properly reported as a nuisance, condemned, fixed, etc..."

Life in Mount Vernon Square: Vacant Property Meeting

2007-12-13T17:40:00.000-08:00

"OTR was automatically retaining old Class 3 tax exemptions despite receiving updated listings from DCRA. (This explains why only 11 properties were changed to the higher rate this year. And why Sendar's Smelly Whore Cafe is still inexplicably exempted after 10 years.) This is being corrected.
OTR is...er...in the process of some personnel changes."

Strangely, OTR was not included in the meeting. Great work by the community, i.e., Si, Brian, David, and everyone else that contributed! Keep up the pressure.

619 14th Street, NW

2007-12-13T12:14:00.000-08:00

Formerly the National Bank of Washington
Not listed in OTR's online tax records.
Listed as vacant by DCRA in 2004.
Square 253 lot 67

DC Code 42-3131.06. Registration of vacant buildings

2007-12-05T19:36:00.000-08:00

(a) Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, the owner of a vacant building shall maintain the building in compliance with the requirements of § 42-3131.12 and, within 30 days after it becomes a vacant building, register the building with the Mayor, and pay the registration fee. The Mayor, in his sole discretion, may extend the time for good cause.

(b) A vacant building shall not be subject to the registration and fee requirements if it is:

(1) Owned by the government of the United States or its instrumentalities;

(2) Owned by a foreign government or its instrumentalities;

(3) Under construction or undergoing rehabilitation, renovation, or repair, and if there is a valid building permit that was issued within 60 days of the required registration date; provided, that the scope of the permit is not limited to electrical or plumbing work; provided further, that this exemption shall not exceed one year from the date of issuance of the first building permit for rehabilitation, renovation or repair;

(4) In compliance with the requirements of § 42-3131.12 and the housing regulations of the District of Columbia and the owner or his agent has been actively seeking to rent or sell it; provided, that the time period for sale or rent shall not exceed one year from the initial listing, offer, or advertisement of sale, or 90 days from the initial listing, offer, or advertisement to rent; or

(5) Exempted by the Mayor, in his or her sole discretion, for good cause.

(c) If a vacant building is owned by the District of Columbia or its instrumentalities, it shall be subject to the registration requirements in subsection (a) of this section and the maintenance requirements in § 42-3131.12, but shall not be subject to the fee requirements under subsection (a) of this section or the fines and penalties collected under § 42-3131.10.

(d) If a present interest in a vacant building registered under this chapter is transferred or otherwise conveyed, a deed shall not be recorded by the Recorder of Deeds until a new registration is filed with the Mayor and the applicable fees are paid.

(e) If the name or address of an owner of a vacant building changes for any reason other than by transfer or conveyance, the change shall be reported to the Mayor in writing within 30 days.

Eye Opening World Class Design Coming to Mt Vernon Sq?

2007-11-13T18:20:00.000-08:00

"Development is no doubt a good thing. But I think the 'making things too nice' comment reflects the nature of the type of development taking place. What we constantly see are very large developments by well-connected 'developers'. What we do not see are small businesses renovating existing structures that they will occupy. Real estate prices (and assessments) have gone up so much that only large developments are financially possible. Instead of forcing owners to put properties to immediate good use, DC has allowed owners/speculators to sit on vacant property and wait for their big payday. This is not investment; it is urban strip mining."
My comment on ANC2C02 Forum

Fox 5 Investigates Abandoned Houses

2007-09-26T23:19:00.000-07:00

"A News Edge investigation into one of DC's biggest eyesores, abandoned houses. Chances are you have seen them. You may even have one on your block. Some are vacant for years. And now they have turned into crime havens! So what, if anything, is being done about it? Fox 5's Maureen Umeh investigates."

Reform OTR Now

2007-09-26T22:29:00.000-07:00

The Office of Tax and Revenue's Class 3 Office is obliged by law to collect the higher class 3 property tax (5%) for previous years properties have been vacant and to pursue cases of fraud. I believe the OTR hase been negligent of its duties.

Several weeks ago, I once again begged Steve Capello, supervisory assessor and manager of the Class 3 program, to investigate several vacant properties near my home. I am still waiting for a reply. 1000 M St NW has been vacant for over 20 years yet has never paid class 3 tax and in fact was receiving the senior citizen homestead deduction. 1002 M St NW was paying class 3 tax until their assessment went up last year and they somehow got an exemption. The house is going to enforcement by the Board of Condemnation and is on the tax sale list, yet it is still listed as class 1 (occupied). The developer that bought 1006 M ST NW waited at least a year before even applying for permits and did not pay the class 3 tax during that time.

OTR also does not investigate clear cases of fraud such as trumped-up Pepco bills used to claim occupancy. At 1000 M Street, the owner plugged in a lamp to generate a bill he could take to OTR and claim occupancy. The house has been vacant for over 20 years and, at the time, the rear of the house had no roof. When I brought this to OTR's attention, they promised to send a vacant property registration packet. Bob Worthington in the OTR Class 3 Office even protested, saying that the size of the bill indicates that someone must be living there.

Recently, Worthington informed me that he was unaware of there being any problem with fraud with the registration of vacant properties and that they rarely involve the OTR's investigative unit. Tonight, in an extensive investigative report, Fox 5 news found otherwise.

The city council should exercise oversight over the Office of Tax and Revenue to make sure that tax cheats are prosecuted.

1225 10th Street, NW

2007-09-06T00:21:00.000-07:00

This row house is clearly a shell but is not listed as vacant.
Sold on 8-8-07 but sale price is not available.
Ellis Jackson lowered the assessed improvements to only $64,910 for 2008 from $70,050 for 2007.

UPDATE: This building was torn down. More about it here.

Task force tries to take back H Street - Examiner.com

2007-08-21T19:43:00.000-07:00

"...a large number of shuttered storefronts appears to be choking the area’s vitality, making local business owners nervous that the neighborhood’s transformation will continue. Some believe the problem is speculators who have bought vacant buildings and don’t want to invest capital into them until they can be flipped for a profit.
...a task force created earlier this summer is attempting to put pressure on those speculators to either sell or develop the properties, Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Alan Kimber said..."
Courtney Mabeus
The Examiner
Aug 16 2007

Fifth and Oh: Vacant Properties, con'd.

2007-08-01T20:09:00.000-07:00

"I noticed yesterday that there's a Fire Department condemnation notice on the property at 1417 5th Street NW (pictured above). Apparently that doesn't mean too much except for requiring the owner to secure the property against unauthorized entry and vermin infestation. But at least it suggests that someone may be paying attention. This property is actually on the vacant properties list, but it's still listed as Class 1 residential rather than the Class 3 rate that's supposed to be applied to vacant properties. Best of all, according to the on-line data, it's getting the homestead deduction!"
DaddyFiveOh also excerpts his written statement for Mary Cheh's July 3 hearing.

ANC2C02 Forum - Ward 2 Core Team vs Vacant Properties in Shaw

2007-08-01T20:00:00.000-07:00

"The word from Joe Martin is that Mayor Fenty has requested that officials from the Dept. of Consumer Regulatory Affairs, the US Attorney's Office, the Office of the Attorney General, MPD, the Dept. of Health, the Dept. of Mental Health, Fire/EMS, and the Dept. of Public Works take to the streets Aug. 1 and address vacant property issues along 9th Street."

renewshaw.com: Condemnations Yield More Parking and $200k for Shiloh

2007-08-01T19:50:00.000-07:00

"Shiloh's latest Take Down the Signs Update triumphantly claims that as of July 22, 2007, campaign donations total $199,880.53. The update also reveals that Shiloh awaits a permit to dismantle the garage behind 1534 9th Street, which will, no doubt, make way for more church parking in the near future (does anyone know why this structure isn't also protected by the HPRB?)."

Other Government Agencies

2007-07-30T23:09:00.000-07:00

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
?

Nuisance Property Bill Eyed by Shaw and Logan Residents

2007-07-15T19:11:00.000-07:00

"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

2007-07-15T19:05:00.000-07:00

"...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

2007-07-15T18:55:00.000-07:00

"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

Vacant Property Map for ANC 6A and 6C

2007-07-10T08:35:00.000-07:00

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

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

2007-07-02T18:43:00.000-07:00

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"

1001 11th Street, NW

2007-07-01T20:30:00.000-07:00

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.

My Testimony Given in Person on Nuisance Properties Abatement Reform on May 24

2007-06-27T18:47:00.000-07:00

Hi, my name is Ed. I live on 10th Street NW in the Shaw Historic District with my family. Since moving to this address, we noticed several neglected buildings in the 1000 block of M.

The mansion at 1000 M Street has been vacant for decades. You may have seen the house in the 1979 Peter Sellers movie, Being There. It is in the background of one of the most famous scenes looking much like it did when we moved down the street 3 years ago. DCRA first listed the property as vacant on March 23 2002, soon after the class 3 tax was instituted. But 1000 M has never paid the class 3 tax. For years it received the senior citizen homestead deduction despite having no roof. The owners provided Pepco bills to fraudulently claim occupancy; they merely plugged in a lamp. Ownership has changed several times though no sale is recorded. Only after being condemned did the owner slowly start to make improvements. The scaffolding remains today though no work has happened in months.

The building next door, 1002 M St, also has been vacant for years. It too was listed as vacant on March 23 2002. Until recently the owner was paying the class 3 tax but now has an exemption because of a work permit. Not an ounce of work has been done. The Board of Condemnation referred this property to the Housing Code Enforcement Office on March 2 2007 for lack of repairs.

Two doors down, 1006 M Street NW, has been vacant since August 7 2002 when Federal Marshalls evicted the last “occupants”. A developer purchased it in 2005 for $750,000. Then they sat on the property for more than a year before even cleaning it out. Still no exterior improvements have been made.

After many complaints, I received a letter from the former lead inspector for Ward 2, Charles Mason, claiming that these properties were in compliance, despite gross housing code violations observable from the street including bricks falling out, open windows, trees growing from the foundation, etc. Eventually, all 3 properties were condemned but only after I made dozens of calls and sent scads of emails over 2 years. My wife has attended several condemnation board hearings to tell the truth about these buildings even as various “owners’ representatives” have trotted out excuses. … Still all of these vacant properties are today exempt from class 3 tax despite all of our attempts to bring them to the attention of the District.

My wife and I have witnessed people selling drugs in front of these buildings. We have seen vagrants sleeping, drinking, urinating, and even defecating on these properties. This is Broken Windows Theory in action where neglect breeds crime. A neighbor was violently mugged in front of 1000 M St and spent 10 days in the hospital. The MPD crime database lists numerous thefts-from-auto, robberies, and even a car jacking in the 1000 block of M Street. I polled my neighbors and every one who has a car has had it broken into. All this is happening just one block from our Convention Center.

It is my belief that vacant properties reduce the amount of affordable housing. Since there is no incentive for the owners of vacant properties to put them to good use, buildings that could be housing people sit unoccupied instead. Here’s what happens. The government does not enforce the Vacant Building Maintenance Standard and does not levy the class 3 tax. As the buildings deteriorate, assessments decrease, even as taxes skyrocket for occupied properties. The owner/speculator waits—sometimes decades—until a developer comes along that is willing to pay top dollar. That developer then turns a single family home into several luxury condos. Gone is any possibility for a middle class family to buy a fixer-upper downtown.

The same situation is occurring in our business districts. Instead of selling to a small business that would restore and occupy rundown properties, speculators hold out for the big-time developers who are only interested in supplying high-rent space for national chains. The funky, independent stores and restaurants that draw people to the city are left out.

No doubt this new legislation will close several loopholes. But I think it is more important to recognize that there has been little or no enforcement of the present regulations. This legislation is an opportunity to do more than mend buildings; it can help rebuild a neighborhood and, as Broken Windows Theory has taught us, it will reduce crime, too. It is time to finally repair DC’s many broken windows.

testimony given in person on
Bill 17-86, the “Nuisance Properties Abatement Reform
and Real Property Classification Amendment Act of 2007”

Thursday, May 24, 2007
10:00 a.m.
Room 412
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W

Prices on 9th

2007-06-27T18:16:00.000-07:00

"How about the guy at 1250 9th? $10,000,000 for that shell?!

Or the vacant building at 1801-1803 9th--$2.2 million.

In other real estate news:

The Queen of Sheba building at 1503 9th is for sale for $2,000,000.

And we have 1913 9th (vacant, as far as I can tell) for $1,998,000; the garage shell at 1321-3 Naylor Court is going for $1,195,000."
modthinglet comments on renewshaw.com

When is a Vacant Building Not Vacant?

2007-06-27T18:08:00.000-07:00

"Matthew Forman, federal real-estate attorney and vice president of the Kalorama Citizens Association, e-mailed Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham, alerting him of the contradiction. “Would you please investigate how, if the owner of 1342 Vermont is claiming the property to be vacant, they were not charged the $5/100 real property tax rate for vacant properties? The property isn’t paying the vacant tax rate and in fact is still receiving the homestead exemption, giving them a further, significant reduction in their property taxes.…In this case, it would appear that the property owner needs to be sent a bill for either the conversion fee or the back taxes - they can’t have it both ways,” he wrote. Besides the City Paper, he cc’ed Eric Goulet in Councilmember Jack Evans’ office and Thomas Branham, the District’s chief assessor."
Washington City Paper: News & Features: Blogs

DCist: Shiloh Properties Update

2007-06-27T18:03:00.000-07:00

"As you'll recall, the city condemned four properties on 9th St. NW owned by Shiloh Baptist Church, and ordered them to complete repairs on the buildings by a date certain (we originally estimated the date being May 31, but it turned out they were only counting business days, so the actual deadline was June 5). These properties have been neglected for decades and a source of great frustration for the Shaw neighborhood, due to their unsafe, unsanitary conditions."
DCist

Home Again Need Work

2007-06-27T17:39:00.000-07:00

"Four Home Again properties in Ward One will finally be renovated after several years of disrepair and neglect...
1915 6th St, NW
902-904 T St, NW
744 Harvard St, NW
1428 Perry Pl, NW
...
Although I am pleased by the progress, much work needs to be done to improve Home Again."
Councilmember Jim Graham

DC Preservation League

2007-06-27T17:32:00.000-07:00

"The mission of the DC Preservation League is to preserve, protect, and enhance the historic and built environment of Washington, DC, through advocacy and education." Their most endangered places list includes Franklin School, DC Public School Buildings, several theaters,...

Life in Mount Vernon Square: Tax Sale List Posted

2007-06-21T19:34:00.000-07:00

"Some of our vacant property made DC's annual Tax Sale List.
The tax sale auction begins July 9th & details can be found on the OTR Site and on the list itself. 90% of the taxes usually get paid."
by Si Kalian on Life in Mount Vernon Square

Testimony: Nuisance Properties Abatement Reform

2007-06-09T14:19:00.000-07:00

Bill 17-86, the “Nuisance Properties Abatement Reform
and Real Property Classification Amendment Act of 2007”

Thursday, May 24, 2007
10:00 a.m.
Room 412
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W

Testimony of Stephen Cappello, Supervisory Assessor, Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR)

Testimony of Nick Majett, Deputy Director for Inspections and Compliance, Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA)

Success on 9th Street (Treebox Vodka)

2007-06-07T19:45:00.000-07:00

"After I posted earlier on the 9th street places, I decided to quit being a complainer on my little soapbox here and get pro-active."

1200 Block of 9th Street .... Still irking me

2007-06-01T17:39:00.000-07:00

"These property owners in the 1200 block of 9th street don't care about local rules and regulations to clean and secure their vacant properties. I'm going to contact them all about getting this fixed and will share as I learn more."
Treebox Vodka

Group asks city government to help solve vacant properties issue

2007-05-31T17:03:00.000-07:00

"The Mount Vernon Square Neighborhood Association pinpointed 100 vacant properties in the area bounded by New York Avenue Northwest to the south and N Street Northwest to the north, between First and Seventh streets. Of those, 71 were vacant buildings and 29 were empty lots."
Michael Meibauer
The Examiner
May 30, 2007

1000 M Street, NW

2007-05-23T21:22:00.000-07:00

Vacant for 20-30 years.
First listed as vacant by DCRA on March 23 2002.
Was not listed as vacant when I reported it by fax to DCRA July 7 2004.
Owner currently listed is M Angelidou. Though no sale is recorded owners listed in the past were M Atasoy, Faik Tugberk, L Stamoul, Stamoul Angelidou. Note that M Atasoy owns 1002 M St.
Was receiving a senior citizen homestead deduction.
Provided OTR Class 3 office with Pepco bills to "prove" occupancy. Owners had turned on a lamp in front room.
Condemned in November 2005. At the time, trees were growing from the foundation, the rear part of the roof had collapsed, etc.
Released from condemnation March 28 2007 because exterior of building was brought up to code as required.
Building interior is still not habitable.
Receiving Class 3 exemption.
Has never paid Class 3 tax.
See also Restoration underway at 1000 M Street.
For examples of crime at this corner see Mugging 'round Mt. Vernon Sq.

1006 M Street, NW

2007-05-23T18:48:00.000-07:00

Last "occupants" evicted by US Marshalls on August 7 2002.
Sold for $749,900 to Dan Scott Development LLC.
First listed as vacant by DCRA on June 23 2005.
Condemned on February 2 2006.
Sold again 10-11-06 for $1,934,425 to Dan Scott Development LLC.
Work finally started in May 2007.
Has asked the Condemnation Board for a 90 day extension. Next hearing is July 25 2007.
Receiving Class 3 exemption.

1002 M Street, NW

2007-05-23T18:47:00.000-07:00

First listed as vacant by DCRA on March 23, 2002.
Owners are Muhtesem Atasoy and Paik Tugberk.
Condemnation Board sent property to enforcement on March 2, 2007 for lack of progress. The city may now hire someone to do the work and put a lean on the property for costs.
Was listed as Class 3 but now is Class 1 (7/2/07). Still Class 1 (12/1/07).
The property is on the tax sale list for $24,448 in taxes owed. See Tax Sale 2007.

District looking for vacant buildings

2007-05-15T00:53:00.000-07:00

"Mayor Adrian Fenty on Thursday, his 100th day in office, said of DCRA's past performance with nuisance and abandoned properties, 'not being inspected enough, not getting abated quick enough is a big deal.' The new DCRA director, whom Fenty has yet to hire, 'will have to take care of that.'"
Michael Neibauer
DC Examiner
April 16, 2007

Homeowners have one more chance to make property tax claim

2007-05-15T00:45:00.000-07:00

"An inspector general%u2019s audit released in March found thousands of ineligible property owners receiving the benefit, in part due to weak internal controls over the application process. The IG estimated the city lost between $1.1 million and $3.4 million in tax revenue in fiscal 2004 alone.
... Ward 2 D.C. Council Member Jack Evans, chairman of the finance and revenue committee, said most of the 4,000 probably deserve the benefit and “just didn’t send the letters back.""
Michael Neibauer
DC Examiner
July 14, 2006

Some homeowners could lose Homestead tax break

2007-05-15T00:40:00.000-07:00

"About 8,000 homeowners, out of the 90,000 who receive the deduction, were first contacted earlier this year as part of the OTR audit. Each property owner sought had no car registered in D.C., no city driver's license, were not registered to vote in Washington and had not filed D.C. income taxes. 'We questioned whether or not that person would truly be domiciled in the District,' Skolnik said."
Michael Neibauer
DC Examiner
Dec 7, 2006

Off Seventh - My Chronicles of Shaw: Slum of the Week

2007-05-07T16:59:00.000-07:00

"This week's SLUM OF THE WEEK property sits at the corners of 9th/Rhode Island/Q Streets NW.� According to picture number one the address is 819 Q Street, NW.� I have been told the individual that owns this property is also a business owner in Georgetown...stay tuned we will discuss shortly."
(Off Seventh has posting about this property for a while--Ed.)

Broken Windows Turns 25

2007-05-02T20:44:00.000-07:00

"Twenty-five years ago, social scientist James Q. Wilson and criminologist (and Manhattan Institute senior fellow) George Kelling first introduced the phrase 'Broken Windows' into the public policy lexicon. In a pathbreaking Atlantic Monthly article, Wilson and Kelling pointed out that people were likelier to vandalize a building with one broken window than a building with none, since a broken window sends the message that nobody cares, encouraging vandals to act on their destructive impulses. Similarly, they suggested, if a community tolerates quality-of-life offenses, such as drug use and prostitution, it signals to all potential lawbreakers that it doesn't care what happens to it; more serious crime will soon result."
Charles Sahm
City Journal
Spring 2007

Notice of Public Hearing: Nuisance Properties Abatement Reform

2007-05-02T08:37:00.000-07:00

Council of the District of Columbia
Committee on Finance and Revenue
Committee on Public Services and Consumer Affairs
Notice of Public Hearing
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20004

COUNCILMEMBER JACK EVANS, CHAIRPERSON
COMMITTEE ON FINANCE AND REVENUE
AND
COUNCILMEMBER MARY CHEH, CHAIRPERSON
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SERVICES AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS

ANNOUNCE A JOINT PUBLIC HEARING ON

Bill 17-86, the “Nuisance Properties Abatement Reform
and Real Property Classification Amendment Act of 2007”

Thursday, May 24, 2007
10:00 a.m.
Room 412
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

On Thursday, May 24, 2007, Councilmember Jack Evans, Chairperson of the Committee on Finance and Revenue, and Councilmember Mary Cheh, Chairperson of the Committee on Public Services and Consumer Affairs, will hold a joint public hearing on Bill 17-86, the “Nuisance Properties Abatement Reform and Real Property Classification Amendment Act of 2007.” Bill 17-86 is intended to make the nuisance property abatement program more efficient and effective by eliminating overlapping responsibilities of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs and the Office of Tax and Revenue in the designation, registration, and assessment of vacant properties. The public hearing will begin at 10:00 a.m. in Room 412 of the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.

The Committees invite the public to testify or to submit written testimony, which will be made a part of the official record. Anyone wishing to testify at the hearing should contact Aukima Benjamin, staff assistant to the Committee on Public Services and Consumer Affairs, at 724-4902, or via e-mail at abenjamin@dccouncil.us. All witnesses will be permitted a maximum of five (5) minutes for oral presentation.

If you are unable to testify at the hearing, written statements are encouraged and will be made a part of the official record. Copies of written statements should be submitted either to the Committee on Public Services and Consumer Affairs, or to Ms. Cynthia Brock-Smith, Secretary to the Council, Room 5 of the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004. The record will close at the end of the business day on Thursday, June 7, 2007.

Gallery Place Living: CityPaper Shines Spotlight On Jemal

2007-04-30T20:05:00.000-07:00

From Comments: si said...
"This is my problem: "sat on his properties until the deals started rolling in." This is MR. Clean's MO, he land banks his historic dumps until a build to suit tenant comes along but in the meantime, wont bother to fix a broken window. Check out the tragic former mansion at 11th & K that has a huge billboard bolted to the facade, lost half its moldings to neglect, and over the years is turning into a homeless colony & dumping ground. The building actually has cardboard additions. This is not an isolated case. check out the block w. NY, 7th, L & 6th...he owns almost all of the vacant building that encompass most of that square - broken windows and all. And the city exempts many from the Class 3 tax rate."

From the Past: District Establishes New Tax Rate for Vacant Properties

2007-04-29T18:26:00.000-07:00

"New legislation has created a class 3 property tax rate for vacant commercial and residential properties in the District of Columbia. Under the "Real Property Classification Clarification Emergency Act of 2002," vacant property will be taxed at $5.00 per $100 of assessed value beginning in 2003.

The Office of Tax and Revenue is sending letters about the new tax rate to the owners of 5,300 properties identified by the District as vacant."
Office of Tax and Revenue Press Release
December 10, 2002 (Please note date--Ed.)

From the Past: New Regulations for Vacant Buildings Effective Soon

2007-04-29T18:21:00.000-07:00

"...One of the requirements of the law is that all vacant properties be registered with DCRA. Property owners are required to make repairs in compliance with the new vacant property maintenance standards..."

Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs Press Release
May 8, 2002 (Apparently, 2007 is too soon--Ed.)

Restoration underway at 1000 M Street

2007-04-29T16:39:00.000-07:00

1000 M Street "...had remained empty for at least 2 decades. Over the last few years parts of the house's roof had collapsed."

1015 K Street, NW

2007-04-25T06:45:00.000-07:00

Jemal's Billboard
Owner is Jemal's Bulldog II LLC.
Registered at class 2 (commercial).
Obviously vacant for a very long time.
Has applied for a permit.
Building assessed at $140.
See also CityPaper Shines Spotlight On Jemal.

CrimeinDC.org | Details for 1000 M St NW

2007-04-24T21:34:00.000-07:00

"Date: Fri, Mar 28th, 2003
Time: 5:00 pm
Where: 1000 M St NW, 20001 | RSS | Map
What: Robbery (Car Jacking) | RSS
Temp: °F Humid: %
Weather:
Report: r1 reports on the listed time date and location while moving various property that he was approached by s1 who stated \"give me the car, give me the money!\" while displaying a firearm. s1 fled the scene in the auto."
12 more crime reports for the 1000 block of M Street NW.

DCRA Takes Lead in Managing City's Vacant Property

2007-04-24T21:22:00.000-07:00

"With new authorities, the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) is moving aggressively to identify, register, classify and secure all vacant properties in the District."
Press Release
Consumer & Regulatory Affairs
April 11, 2007

DC Code 42-3131.06

2007-04-24T17:11:00.000-07:00

(c) Section 6 (D.C. Official Code § 42-3131.06) is amended as follows: (1) Subsection (b) is amended as follows:
(A) Paragraph (3) is amended to read as follows:
(3) Under active construction or undergoing active rehabilitation, renovation, or repair, and there is a valid building permit to make the building fit for occupancy that was issued, renewed, or extended within 12 months of the required registration date;
(B) Paragraph (4) is amended by striking the phrase “one year from the initial listing, offer, or advertisement of sale, or 90 days from the initial listing, offer, or advertisement to rent” and inserting the phrase “8 months” in its place.
...
(3) New subsections (f) and (g) are added to read as follows:
(f)(1) The cumulative time period for exemption from registration and fee requirements for a vacant building under the same, substantially similar, or related ownership shall not exceed 3 real property tax years.
(2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this subsection, any exemption shall be terminated at the end of the 2007 real property tax year if the building under the same, substantially similar, or related ownership benefitted from an exemption under this section or under D.C. Official Code § 47-813(c-6) during 3 or more real property tax years.
...

NPS Woodson Park Project

2007-04-09T16:36:00.000-07:00

"This Entry tracks the National Park Service's efforts to create a national park out of the Carter G. Woodson house and adjacent buildings on 9th Street, NW in Shaw. NPS purchased the Carter G. Woodson House from the Association of African American Life and History (ASALH) and adjacent buildings from Shiloh Baptist Church."

712 Q Street, NW - What's Happening?

2007-04-09T16:32:00.000-07:00

"There's all kinds of junk piled in front of 712 Q Street."

Liquor Store Building at 7th and Q

2007-04-09T16:29:00.000-07:00

"This Entry provides a bit of history on the liquor store building at the southeast corner of 7th and Q Streets, NW. As most of you know, it's an eyesore that could be a very nice building with a little (OK, a lot) of TLC."

DC Code 47-813. Classes of property.

2007-04-05T01:04:00.000-07:00

(2) A new subsection ©-7) is added to read as follows:
(c-7)(1) For tax year 2007 and thereafter, the following classes of taxable real property are established:
(A) Class 1 Property;
(B) Class 2 Property; and
(C) Class 3 Property.
(2)(A) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, Class 1 Property shall be comprised of residential real property that is improved and used exclusively for nontransient residential dwelling purposes; provided, that the improved and nontransient real property shall not be classified as Class 1 Property if it appears on the list compiled under § 42-3131.16.
...
(3)(A) Except as otherwise provided in this paragraph, Class 2 Property shall be comprised of improved commercial real property; provided, that such improved real property shall not be classified as Class 2 Property if it appears on the list compiled under § 42- 3131.16.
...
(4) Class 3 Property shall be comprised of all real property which cannot be classified as Class 1 Property or Class 2 Property.”
...

DC Code 42-3131.12. Vacant Building Maintenance Standard

2007-04-05T00:24:00.000-07:00

A building shall be adequately maintained if:

(1) Doors, windows, areaways, and other openings are weather-tight and secured against entry by birds, vermin, and trespassers, and missing or broken doors, windows, and other openings are covered with 1/2 inch CDX plywood that is weather protected, tightly fitted to the opening, and secured by screws or bolts;

(2) The roof and flashing are sound and tight, will not admit moisture, and are drained to prevent dampness or deterioration in the walls or interior;

(3) The building storm drainage system is adequately sized and installed in an approved manner and functional;

(4) The interior and exterior is maintained in good repair, structurally sound, free from debris, rubbish, and garbage, and sanitary so as not to threaten public health or safety;

(5) The structural members are free of deterioration and capable of safely bearing imposed dead and live loads;

(6) The foundation walls are plumb, free from open cracks and breaks, and vermin-proof;

(7) The exterior walls are free of holes, breaks, and loose or rotting materials, and exposed metal and wood surfaces are protected from the elements and against decay or rust by periodic application of weather-coating materials, such as paint;

(8) The cornices, belt courses, corbels, terra cotta trim, wall facings, and similar decorative features are safe, anchored, and in good repair, and exposed metal and wood surfaces are protected from the elements and against decay or rust by periodic application of weather-coating materials, such as paint;

(9) All balconies, canopies, marquees, signs, metal awnings, stairways, fire escapes, standpipes, exhaust ducts, and similar features are in good repair, anchored, safe and sound, and exposed metal and wood surfaces are protected from the elements and against decay or rust by periodic application of weather- coating materials, such as paint;

(10) Chimneys, cooling towers, smokestacks, and similar appurtenances are structurally safe, sound, and in good repair, and exposed metal and wood surfaces are protected from the elements and against decay or rust by periodic application of weather-coating materials, such as paint;

(11) Openings in sidewalks are safe for pedestrian travel;

(12) Accessory and appurtenant structures such as garages, sheds, and fences are free from safety, health, and fire hazards; and

(13) The property on which a structure is located is clean, safe, and sanitary and does not threaten the public health or safety.

Nuisance Properties Abatement Reform and Real Property Classification Amendment Act of 2007

2007-03-29T19:24:00.000-07:00

COUNCILMEMBER JACK EVANS, CHAIRPERSON
COMMITTEE ON FINANCE AND REVENUE AND
COUNCILMEMBER MARY CHEH, CHAIRPERSON
COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SERVICES AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS
ANNOUNCE A JOINT PUBLIC HEARING
Thursday, May 24, 2007
10:00 a.m.
Room 412
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
On Thursday, May 24, 2007, Councilmember Jack Evans, Chairperson of the Committee on Finance and Revenue, and Councilmember Mary Cheh, Chairperson of the Committee on Public Services and Consumer Affairs, will hold a joint public hearing on Bill 17-86, the “Nuisance Properties Abatement Reform and Real Property Classification Amendment Act of 2007.” Bill 17-86 is intended to make the nuisance property abatement program more efficient and effective by eliminating overlapping responsibilities of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs and the Office of Tax and Revenue in the designation, registration, and assessment of vacant properties. The public hearing will begin at 10:00 a.m. in Room 412 of the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
The Committees invite the public to testify or to submit written testimony, which will be made a part of the official record. Anyone wishing to testify at the hearing should contact Aukima Benjamin, staff assistant to the Committee on Public Services and Consumer Affairs, at 724-4902, or via e-mail at abenjamin@dccouncil.us. All witnesses will be permitted a maximum of five (5) minutes for oral presentation.
If you are unable to testify at the hearing, written statements are encouraged and will be made a part of the official record. Copies of written statements should be submitted either to the Committee on Public Services and Consumer Affairs, or to Ms. Cynthia Brock-Smith, Secretary to the Council, Room 5 of the John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004. The record will close at the end of the business day on Thursday, June 7, 2007.

Vacant M Street properties slated for redevelopment

2007-03-21T19:13:00.000-07:00

By Katie Pearce
Dupont Current
February 28, 2007

All Boarded Up and No Place to Go

2007-03-21T18:56:00.000-07:00

"Logan Circle has undergone a major rebirth over the past few decades. We have new residential buildings, retail spaces, even a burgeoning art community. But crime and public safety are still a top concern. A large part of the problem is the abandoned and neglected properties that continue to make our neighborhood attractive to criminals."
Jennifer Trock
Washington Post
Sunday, December 31, 2006

A Thwarted Renaissance Near the Convention Center - washingtonpost.com

2007-02-19T22:11:00.000-08:00

"Yet, even as a smattering of businesses have opened on Ninth Street and two hotels and hundreds of apartments are on the drawing board, the seven-block stretch between Massachusetts and Rhode Island avenues remains largely defined by desolate sidewalks, ramshackle lots and three dozen vacant buildings."
By Paul Schwartzman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, February 19, 2007; Page B01