As summer approaches, families leave the District for vacation and construction in the city ramps up. DCRA’s Neighbor Notification Process can help protect the rights of adjoining property owners if damage occurs due to construction being performed next door. To protect yourself, research whether the adjoining property owner has a permit issued for construction via DCRA’s Property Information Verification System (PIVS). If you do not see a permit, call our Permit Center at 202-442-4400 to determine if a permit application has been filed. Residents can report suspected illegal construction by calling 311, visiting 311.dc.gov, using the online live chat feature during standard business hours, using the mobile app (DC311), texting DC311, or tweeting to @311dcgov.

On June 19th DCRA hosted our June Housing Bloom Workshop that featured a panel discussion on property rentals, housing complaints, vacant properties, landlord rights, and vacant property taxes from District Government subject matter experts and the DC Bar Pro Bono Center. Eleven attendees were able to attend and benefit from the wealth of knowledge and resources. June Housing Bloom is Mayor Muriel Bowser’s annual month-long initiative that showcases how the public and private sectors are partnering to both produce and preserve affordable housing and revitalize neighborhoods across the District.

May 1st through October 31st is grass season. Excessive vegetative growth can cause serious public health implications. Tall weeds and grass detract from the appearance of District neighborhoods. Undesirable wildlife like rats, mice, snakes, and mosquitoes seek tall grass and weeds for hiding places to habitat - and these animals can carry diseases. If DCRA cleans a property (i.e. mow property lawn and remove vegetation), then a fine will be issued to the property owner. The fine (cost of the abatement) is determined by the number of employees and equipment used, and total time spent at the property. Residents should report properties with grass and/or weeds exceeding 8 inches directly to DCRA through the District’s 311 system. You can report your service requests by either calling 311, visiting the 311.dc.gov, using the mobile app (DC311), using the online live chat feature during standard business hours, texting DC311, or tweeting to @311dcgov. Please have the exact address of the property before reporting. To learn more, visit dcra.dc.gov/grassseason. 

DCRA is excited to welcome up to 40 interns this year from the Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program (MBSYEP) which starts on June 25th through August 3rd. Our coordinators this year will be Peter Hillman and Andrew Morton.  Aside from learning about the agency, the youth will also explore the benefits of community service, financial literacy, philanthropy and career counseling.

The Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency (CSOSA) and Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) hosted the Summer Crime Initiative (SCI), a program to eliminate violent crime through prevention and strategic enforcement. On June 1st, DCRA, in partnership with the Office of Neighborhood Safety and Engagement (ONSE), Mayor’s Office of Community Relations and Services (MOCRS), Department of Public Works (DPW) and Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA) teamed up to clean up selected neighborhoods where violent crimes have occurred.

In recognition of National Gun Violence Awareness Day, DCRA joined its sister agencies in wearing orange for the first day in June to show solidarity with the victims and survivors of gun violence. Orange was the color that Hadiya Pendleton’s friends wore in her honor when she was shot and killed in Chicago at the age of 15—just one week after performing at President Barack H. Obama’s second inaugural parade in 2013.

On June 18th, the DC Board of Barber & Cosmetology hosted its 12th Annual Practitioners Forum. The theme this year was The Business of Beauty. The forum took place at Gallaudet University and drew in approximately 200 attendees. Topics for this year's event included: Financial Tools for Life; The Customer Path: From Online Search to Your Chair; Success in Serving 'the Needs' of a Community; and Elevate the Client Experience. To see pictures from the event click here. 

On June 9th, DCRA participated in the District's largest housing event of the year, the 10th Annual DC Housing Expo and Home Show, hosted by the DC Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) and the Greater Washington Urban League (GWUL). We were able to share valuable information with hundreds of attendees. We also heard from several attendees on how much DCRA has helped them in their business endeavors or repair uninhabitable housing situations. Our goal is to provide our customers with a high level of service that help them find solutions.   

We also sponsored two workshops as well. A seminar called “Does Your Home Need a Physical,” provided insight on the District’s property maintenance and inspections process. The other seminar “Buyer Beware: Things DCRA Wants You to Know Before & After You Buy a Home” discussed key steps on purchasing, remodeling and protecting your home. To see photos from the event, please click here.

On June 5th, we partnered with DCBIA for a Rooftop Technical Training on top of Park Chelsea Apartments where we discussed all aspects of rooftop development including permitting, zoning, solar, and more. The informative panel was led by Melinda Bolling, DCBIA's CEO Lisa Mallory, DCBIA members and DCRA executive staff. To see photos of the event, please click here. 

In May, DCRA hosted 13 events to celebrate Building Safety Month in order to raise awareness of construction codes to help individuals, families and businesses build safe, resilient, affordable and energy-efficient homes and buildings. Take a look at the presentations from the workshops held during the month: 

• Prepare Your Family for any Natural Disaster Panel Discussion & Workshop: HSEMA Presentation, FEMS Presentation, and DISB Presentation
• Building Collapse & Illegal Construction Prevention in the District Workshop
• Safeguarding Our Water Workshop
• Flooding Prevention & Preparedness Workshop
• How the DC Codes & Regulations Improve Your Health & Well-Being Workshop: Lead-prevention presentation, Climate Ready DC presentation, and DCRA presentation
• How to Select a Design Professional & General Contractor Workshop

The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) hosted their 2018 Corporate Mixer and Professional Career Fair on May 30th.  The Washington DC chapter of NSBE has more than 100 members and many of them expressed interest in working at DCRA in some technical capacity.  Thanks for the invitation!

On May 30th, the members of the Congress Heights Seniors Wellness Center in Ward 8 hosted their Senior Health and Fitness Fair on May 30th at 3500 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE, where approximately 60 District seniors were in attendence. DCRA was invited to attend and distribute valuable information about our programs and services. 

Attendees learned about 

our Consumer Protection Division, as well as tips on renting scams, 10 things you can do to avoid fraud, and how to get what you paid for.

DCRA Dashboards is a tool that graphically displays DCRA permits, business and professional licenses, enforcement, and inspections data. The dashboards provide greater transparency, allowing customers to take a look at DCRA’s performance.

DCRA Data Connect is a tool that allows access to information about permits issued, illegal construction, and vacant building data. Data can be viewed via CSV files and maps.