The Danger of Blighted Buildings

Crossposted with In Shaw.

When I am done with the InShaw blog I hope to spend more time and energy on other projects, one being the Vacant Properties blog, because vacant and blighted residential buildings hurt all neighborhoods, gentrified, gentrifying and DC neighborhoods with so much blight that they are called blighted. A recent fire in S.E. DC which claimed the lives of two adults demonstrates the danger of having blighted properties, particularly in attached housing.

In the Washington Post article about the fire, resident Ericka Walker is quoted in saying that she tried to alert authorities, but "couldn't find anyone to help." The article says that the police and zoning (zoning? why zoning isn't this a DCRA issue?) have nothing about anyone saying anyone was living there full time. Full time was not defined, and I wonder how soon after Ms. Walker complained did anyone follow up and what entails following up.
DCFD has some video
http://bcove.me/81ysii3d
When it is cold it is not unheard of in the history of this city that people get into vacant buildings. They may start fires to keep warm, and in the case of 1704 R St SE, there was cooking.

You can report vacant and blighted properties to DCRA but there doesn't to be any clear course of action when there is squatting. All the city seems to be able to do is tax the properties at a higher rate and reboard/secure the property. The owner of the property (unless this has changed) is the only one who can ask the police to remove tresspassers/ squatters, which is problematic when you have an absentee landlord who has essentially abandoned their property.

1617 New Jersey Avenue NW

This is not news, just an observation of a vacant property.
For the longest while 1617 New Jersey Avenue NW has been vacant. The owner had fixed it up and rented it out. But then the renters went away and the bank was foreclosing. And foreclosing, and eventually would get around to actually foreclosing. Before the bank took physical control, the owner stripped everything out. Everything, the french doors, the deck, the nice doors, fridge, everything.
For a while, address was listed on Redfin as being under contract since May 2012, but it doesn't say what happened after that. I also noticed that the owner who was being foreclosed upon is still listed as the owner on the DC real propery tax database, with NJ Ave as his address. As a vacant (but apparently not blighted) residence, it is taxed at the Class 3 rate.
Walking by I noticed a for sale sign out front, which had me searching on Redfin.  Things may have changed but I thought if a vacant property was up for sale, it could avoid getting taxed at the Class 3 or 4 rate. Since September 2011 it has been taxed at the higher rate and somebody has been paying it.
The point of the rate is to push the parties involved to get vacant properties into good use again. However, it is 2013 and this place has been empty at least since 2010 (probably before that). There could be other things at play. Martin Moulton of the CCCA alerted me to the ongoing case of 509 O St NW, where the owner is dragging out her case for a property that has been falling apart since 2004.
These vacant and in cases blighted properties are an impediment to the progress of a street. They are missed opportunities of having neighbors who may add to the community. The longer they are vacant the more missed opportunities.

509 O St NW, 20001 again

There was a mention on the Shaw Neighborhood list about the property, that is common with sticky vacant houses, From David Smith:

Meanwhile, the unpaid taxes continued to pile up, it never went on the annual tax sale as a complete property, it kept mysteriously reverting from Class 3 or 4 to Class 1 Residential on the OTR database, and continued to deteriorate visibly.

Vacant and Blighted of East Shaw

Blogger East Shaw has created a map showing vacant and blighted buildings that cover Ward 6 Shaw. a bit of LeDroit Park and a bit of Truxton Circle.

General Update

This blog hasn't been abandoned, I'm just busy with other projects, but hope to bring my full attention to it later.

509 O Street NW is still vacant and a mess despite winding up in court. Justice is slower than molasses in winter.

Long time vacant property at 1314 5th St NW (with nearby lot) is going to be another Reatig firm design. Pictured.

East Shaw has vacant and blighted map

Blogger East Shaw has created a map of the vacant and blighted biuldings in Shaw, west of 3rd St.

509 O ST NW

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

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

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

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