April 2023 Edition
Dear DOB Customers,
In the next few weeks, the DC Department of Buildings (DOB) will undergo a leadership change as I depart as agency Director. For four and a half-years, I have served in this role, or similarly with our predecessor agency, and am proud of our track record. While it is commonplace to focus on a list of singular achievements, our successes are not about singular accomplishments, but about what is accomplished collectively.
Each day, our team collaborates with each other, and with you, to provide the best possible service to the residents, businesses, and visitors of the District. Over the past few years, we have been successful in not only changing the culture of our organization, but of that within our industry. And that profound change is what will enable us to continue advancing the built environment not only here in the District, but across the globe.
Our work is fundamentally defined by the resources delivered in the Mayor's executive budget and through the laws that we enforce; we continue to strive to develop innovative approaches that reimagine the processes leading to better service delivery.
I am excited to announce that the Protecting Adjacent and Adjoining Property Owners from Construction Damage Amendment Act of 2022 that Mayor Muriel Bowser proposed last year was introduced by the DC Council and is now law. Once operationalized, this legislation will help create safeguards to further protect those who live next to ongoing construction projects.
As we pursue legislative collaboration with the DC Council, we also continue to work to bring valuable improvements to the digital tools that we provide to connect our customers and services. With this in mind, our Permit Wizard application has some well-placed enhancements coming soon which will continue to help streamline the customer experience.
This month, we also saw the successful completion of our inaugural Career Pathways Program. Investing in the next generation of building professionals will go a long way towards DOB achieving our mission, and we are excited to see how this program will continue to evolve and flourish as we go forward.
We make these efforts to spark positive evolution and change because you deserve the best possible delivery of our services. Thank you for trusting us with the responsibility of protecting the District's built environment.
Stay safe.
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 Ernest Chrappah
Acting Director
 Director Ernest Chrappah discusses insurance requirement legislation with Fox 5 DC last year.
DOB is responsible for regulating construction activity in the District. A key aspect of our regulatory responsibility is promoting safety for residents. Using our authority to ensure that construction projects do not adversely affect adjacent and adjoining properties has been a priority, which is why under the leadership of Mayor Muriel Bowser the Protecting Adjacent and Adjoining Property Owners from Construction Damage Amendment Act of 2022 was introduced last year.
Passed by the DC Council in the last legislative session, the legislation was approved by Congress on March 22, 2023; DOB is currently in the rulemaking process regarding this legislation which will operationalize the law. Once in place, the law will require property owners, contractors, or persons applying for a permit for construction or demolition work to obtain liability insurance to insure adjacent and adjoining property owners for loss or damage arising out of that work.
 Our commitment to investing in innovation, technology, and people is a crucial aspect of accomplishing our mission. With this in mind, we are excited to announce new enhancements to the Permit Wizard, our user-friendly, digital platform that modernizes the way customers begin residential building projects by identifying the permits needed, and the total estimated costs of all permits needed for an entire project through a guided series of questions. These enhancements will be available on Monday, May 1, 2023.
This release of new enhancements includes:
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New intuitive address entry – Applicants can now enter their property address in a single field and then search to ensure that the address is valid. Previously, the street number and street name needed to be entered separately, creating difficulties for some customers when validating the address.
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Project transfer feature – This feature has been added to the dashboard and allows the applicant of a Permit Wizard project to transfer ownership of the project to another user. This allows for a new user to make payments, update contractor information, and submit documents for qualifying Homeowner Center projects.
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An updated Trade Permit application with selections for repair, new, and replacement per fixture/item – This feature adds multiple types of trade work (repair, replacement, and new) to one permit application. As an applicant selects the item/fixture, they can indicate whether it will be repaired, replaced, or newly installed. Previously, applicants needed to apply for a different permit for each type of work.
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Clarity on when Neighbor Notification is required – Based on the scope of your project, we have now included when applicants will be required to provide Neighbor Notification to allow adjoining neighbors the opportunity to provide technical objections on a projects scope of work. This allows customers to prepare the necessary documents prior to plan review.
Please note that to bring these enhancements to customers, the Permit Wizard will be unavailable beginning Friday, April 28, 2023 at 6:00 pm. At open of business on Monday, May 1, 2023, the Permit Wizard will be ready once again to assist you with your project planning needs.
 Earlier this week, Director Chrappah appeared on DC News Now to talk further about the agency's Vacant-to-Visual Program, whose goal is to improve the quality of life in neighborhoods across the District of Columbia by transforming vacant properties into artistic sites within the community, thereby reducing eyesores until properties can be returned to productive use.
Last month, we announced an expansion of the program by adding new local artists, an anticipated additional eight properties included in the program, and inclusion of minted non-fungible tokens (NFT) made available for purchase through the Citykey platform, which allows customers to economically support the artists by purchasing digital copies of the same art that is being used on new participating vacant buildings.
 Deputy Chief Building Official Christopher Bailey and Career Pathways Program participants at St. Elizabeth's East campus construction site.
This month, our inaugural class of the DOB Career Pathways Program successfully completed the eight-week long curriculum. We are thankful to each of our participants for the unique perspectives that they brought to the program and to the agency. Some of our cohort may apply for full-time positions with DOB, and we look forward to their potential future contributions to the District's built environment.
The Career Pathways Program provides valuable construction administration experience and potential for full-time career prospects with DOB. Participants rotate between DOB departments throughout the program to have a wide array of exposure to different programs and subject matter, including permitting, inspections, plan review, zoning, technology, and customer service. The interdisciplinary nature of the program aligns with DOB’s organizational values of investing in our people to produce innovative and skilled public servants. This program will be an important part of developing the next generation of building professionals in the region for years to come.
 Last month, Mayor Muriel Bowser released her proposed FY2024 budget for District government. Following, Director Ernest Chrappah presented to the Council of the District of Columbia regarding the proposed budget for DOB, explaining how the Mayor's budget will help us in achieving our mission.
The budget is currently under review by the DC Council. For more information about the budget, please visit the Mayor's FY2024 Fair Shot Budget webpage.
Is Your Neighbor’s Yard A Pollinator Garden Or A Rain Garden?
Spring is here in the District, and that means flowers, birds, and rain; however, it also means long grass and weeds when properties are not properly maintained. The DC Department of Buildings’ (DOB) mission to protect the built environment through enforcing property maintenance standards includes citing property owners who let grass and weeds grow over eight inches in height.
However, before you call DOB, it is important to note that there are many types of legal gardens in the District that may exceed eight (8) inches in height. Two important examples are pollinator gardens and rain gardens. Both types of gardens are supported by the District Department of Energy & Environment (DOEE) in its mission to improve the quality of life for District residents by protecting and restoring the District’s environment.
Gardens filled with native plants and flowers that provide food for butterflies, bees, wasps, moths, bats, and other insects and small mammals that pollinate plants are pollinator gardens. Pollinator gardens may have a wild meadow-like appearance. Even later in the season, pollinator gardens are often left to seed, both to provide food for local songbirds, and to allow the garden to re-seed itself for the next year. This does not mean these gardens are untended or overgrown.
Pollination is how most commercial and garden fruits and vegetables reproduce and is essential to modern agriculture. DOEE promotes the planting of pollinator gardens. More information is available online at doee.dc.gov/pollinators.
A rain garden is a landscaped area that is strategically placed and connected to a downspout to collect and absorb stormwater. Directing the downspout to the rain garden allows stormwater to flow away from building foundations and holds it in the garden area until it can naturally absorb into the ground. The rain garden dips slightly into the ground and has soil that is modified to increase infiltration. In addition to improving drainage, rain gardens also help keep polluted stormwater out of local streams.
Rain gardens also often have a natural appearance, with the plants allowed to grow, as needed, to suit the level of water sequestered in the garden. Still, they must be purposefully tended and maintained. Information about how to set up a RiverSmart Rain Garden, including options for support, is available online at doee.dc.gov.
Cultivated Gardens and District Regulations
District regulations allow for an exception for cultivated flowers and gardens and also permit healthy plants, grasses, or shrubbery in tended grounds, gardens, or landscaped designed yards, even if those healthy plants exceed eight inches. This means that both pollinator gardens and rain gardens are legal and permissible under District regulations.
With the creation of both types of gardens residents may improve life in the District. Rain gardens direct water away from vulnerable areas of the built environment such as foundations and basements, and pollinator gardens promote healthy growth for other flowering and decorative plants that beautify the District.
This spring, DOB is partnering with DOEE to get the word out about these types of beneficial plantings.
How Can You Help?
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Contact DOEE about planting a pollinator garden;
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Contact DOEE about planting a rain garden;
- Make sure it is tended, is not harboring noxious weeds or rats, and tell your neighbors that it’s a rain or pollinator garden;
- Consider small signage identifying it as a rain garden or pollinator garden;
- Learn to recognize these gardens in your own neighborhood;
- Report noxious weeds or overgrown lawns over 8 inches in height to DOB, only once it is determined that it is not a rain or pollinator gardens.
 Members of our account management and residential inspection teams joined representatives of the Mayor's Office of Community Relations and Services (MOCRS) and DC Health in a follow-up community walk in Ward 5. Continued collaboration with our District government partners is a vital part of our service delivery to residents, businesses, and visitors of the District.
Contact DOB via email at dob@dc.gov, through our online inquiry form or during normal business hours using the live chat available on dob.dc.gov or by phone at 202.671.3500, and we will get back to you in three business days or less.
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