Dear DCRA Customers,
Since 1983, the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) has protected the health, safety, economic interests and quality of life of residents, businesses and visitors in the District of Columbia by ensuring code compliance and regulating businesses. DCRA will continue to serve the District through September 30, 2022; however, with you, we will embark on a new journey that begins on October 1, 2022, providing our core services separately as the District’s two newest agencies – the Department of Buildings (DOB) and the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP).
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At the end of July, we held a virtual public forum where I discussed our agency's transition and the path ahead in greater detail. Additionally, I also shared our transition-focused customer-facing website, DCRATransition.dc.gov, to keep you informed. I encourage you to visit the website for further information including detailed information regarding the agencies' missions, divisions, and responsibilities. Furthermore, our staff has curated a useful Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section that addresses many of the questions that have been raised to us regarding the path forward.
Also, August marks the observance of National Black Business Month. DCRA is proud of our work to promote a more equitable regulatory environment that both fosters innovation and sparks entrepreneurship — read on to learn more about some of our recent work in the community with Black entrepreneurs in the District under the leadership of Mayor Muriel Bowser.
As I close, I would like to briefly reflect on the importance that our agency places on your experience as a customer. Our upcoming transition has caused many questions to be asked and we have heard concerns of uncertainty from the community. I want to commit to you that our agency is dedicated to continuing to build on the progress we have made to increase the ways in which we serve. As an example, and as shown on our Agency Performance Dashboard, since March 2020, we have elevated the customer experience, with 85% of more than 60,000 unique customer interactions being rated as satisfactory or excellent. This represents an improvement of more than 54% from my initial days with the agency, and we are proud of that growth. This sustained success is a direct result of our agency taking accountability, being responsive to community feedback, increasing transparency, rolling up our sleeves, and reviewing and innovating processes, and hope that this progress continues.
Our promise to you heading into this transition is that we will continue to strive for excellence and ensure as smooth a transition as possible so that we may continue to serve the residents, businesses, and visitors of the District of Columbia in an unprecedented way.
Stay safe,
 Ernest Chrappah
Director
 We are committed to ensuring as seamless a transition as possible for residents, business, and visitors. To that end, we have been working diligently and are approaching the final month to successfully implement this transition. The online tools that DCRA has developed and launched to help simplify your experience will continue on in the new era of both agencies.
We trust that the innovative spirit fueling DCRA’s transformation over the past few years will lead these agencies forward. We also recognize and appreciate that you are used to certain processes and applications, and those will continue uninterrupted. As two distinct agencies, we will continue to grow and evolve while still being familiar and accessible.
We invite you to visit DCRATransition.dc.gov to learn more about DOB and DLCP, understand what each agency will do, view updated and evolving answers to FAQs generated through our customer and stakeholder engagement, and let us know how we can better serve you through this transition.
We invite you to join us for a virtual public forum on September 7, 2022 to learn more about DOB and DLCP, understand what each agency will do, ask questions, and let us know how we can better serve you through this transition.
Wednesday, September 7, 2022
1:00 pm
Other Ways to Join
Join Online: Web Ex
Webinar number: 2319 125 1164
Webinar password: 2Tt22gmCRgZ (28822462 from phones)
Join by phone:
+1-202-860-2110 United States Toll (Washington D.C.)
1-650-479-3208 Call-in toll number (US/Canada)
Access code: 231 912 51164
 We are currently seeking talented professionals who possess a relevant skill set and a strong desire to serve the residents and businesses of the District. As we transition to become the DOB and the DLCP, we are seeking to increase our ability to better serve our customers through the hiring of additional skilled and dedicated individuals.
To join District government at this exciting time, please view the positions associated with DCRA. Positions will be transferred to the new agencies as of October 1, 2022.
If you have an interest and are potentially qualified, view the current positions at the link below.
To further ease the permitting application process, customers may now use the Permit Wizard – DCRA’s faster, easier-to-use online permitting application – to submit extension requests for all permits issued via the Permit Wizard. For permits that are approaching their expiration date, applicants may easily request an extension with just a few clicks. Once an application for an extension has been submitted through the Permit Wizard, applications will be reviewed within one business day. Customers may also use the Permit Wizard dashboard to track the status of their extension request, make payment, and download the extension permit.
As a reminder, one- and two-family projects are required to use the Permit Wizard for submission of building and trade permits. You may also use the Permit Wizard for trade permits on commercial projects.
 August marks the celebration of National Black Business Month. The District of Columbia is home to some of the most unique and dynamic Black-owned businesses, and DCRA is proud to mark this occasion by discussing a particular project that it has collaborated on with Mayor Muriel Bowser.
In a July 11, 2022 ceremony, Mayor Bowser broke ground on the Interim Retail Village at Parcel 15 on the St. Elizabeths East campus.
The new 22,000-square-foot community space, designed by David Adjaye, will include an interim retail village that will serve as an incubator for local retail and food concepts that originated in the community, and will provide job opportunities to residents. DCRA has played a key role in supporting this project through its role as the District's regulatory authority for construction code enforcement, permitting, inspections, and business licensing. We also routinely offer workshops and seminars for all business owners in the District in order to equip them with the tools and resources they need to succeed.
The groundbreaking ceremony included a celebration of the first group of local businesses that have been selected to move into the space, many of which are Black-owned.
The Neighbor Notification Program is part of our commitment to protect residents and their property when adjacent neighbors are doing construction. Keeping residents aware of adjacent construction may help mitigate potential negative impact. Of course, District residents are not the only stakeholders affected by this program; architects, engineers, designers, and contractors all participate.
Please join us for an informational virtual webinar where several important updates to the Neighbor Notification Program will be shared, including:
- Improved notification forms that are simpler to read and understand;
- Streamlined directions to help ensure faster approvals for permit applicants and permit plan reviews; and
- Enhancements to neighboring property owners’ rights and protections.
Thursday, September 8, 2022
10:00 -11:30 am
Reminder: Insurance Education Center Launched
As a reminder, DCRA recently launched the Insurance Education Center (IEC) to better inform and protect property owners before they are negatively affected by a damaging construction project. Being properly insured when a neighbor takes on a project that may damage your home is an important way to ensure that your economic interest remain protected.
The Mayor Marion S. Barry Student Youth Employment Program (MBSYEP) is a locally-funded annual initiative that provides District youth ages 14 to 24 with an enriching summer employment experience through work placements in the public and private sectors. This year was the 43rd installment of the program, and more than 14,000 youth gained valuable experience this summer through participation.
These experiential learning placements provide opportunities for District youth to gain valuable experience with workforce development and attend seminars on financial literacy, mental health awareness, and civic engagement. Participants are equipped with practical advice and opportunities to help further their professional growth.
This year, DCRA was proud to host 10 participants who were placed within various program areas, including Support Services, the Corporations Division, the Office of Information Systems (OIS), and the Occupational and Professional License Administration (OLPA). The participants assisted with a variety of tasks, including computer imaging, document processing, and database entry – all contributing to better service to DCRA customers.
Throughout the program, it was apparent that some participants had gone the extra mile in getting acquainted with DCRA's programs and services.
Several of DCRA's participants in the MBSYEP arrived in their placement already seeking to start their own small businesses. Throughout the summer, they were provided the tools and resources needed for them to satisfy each of the requirements to obtain a Basic Business License (BBL). Two participants completed the process and are now looking forward to owning and operating their District businesses.
 DCRA knows that investing in the next generation of District entrepreneurs is vital for the continued growth and prosperity of the community. Development and professional growth opportunities for District youth will continue to pay dividends in the years to come.
DCRA's Small Business Resource Center (SBRC) is the go-to source for information on how to get your business established and progressing forward. For existing and aspiring businesses, the SBRC is here for you, and we welcome you to join us for these upcoming workshops and events:
Webinar: Learn How to Become a Certified Business Enterprise (CBE)
Thursday, September 1, 2022 – 10:00 am
Webinar: Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking Coffee and Capital
Thursday, September 8, 2022 – 10:00 am
Webinar: Foundations for a Successful Business: Module 2, The Business Model Canvas
Thursday, September 8, 2022 – 2:00 pm
Webinar: DCRA At Your Neighborhood Library - Learn the Process of Starting a Business
Tuesday, September 20, 2022 – 5:00 pm
Webinar: Foundations for a Successful Business: Module 3, The Business Plan
Thursday, September 22, 2022 – 2:00 pm
Simple Steps for Starting a Small Business!
Tuesday, September 27, 2022 – 9:30 am
SBRC One-On-One Call Session: Steps to Obtaining a Business License
Monday – Friday by appointment between 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
SBRC One-on-One Call Session: "Talk Business After Hours"
Wednesdays by appointment between 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
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