October 2023 Edition
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Dear Team,
As we enter FY24, I continue to be grateful for your hard work as we seek to make Washington, DC a better place to live, work, and play through our regulatory efforts over the District's vibrant built environment.
I want to thank all of the business units and technical teams that were involved in the long ramp-up that led to the launch of our new platform, Certifi. This new hub serves as a central point for customers to apply for, track, and receive their approved Certificates of Occupancy, and represents a fundamental improvement in the customer experience.
Additionally, as we finetune our processes, it is vital that each member of our team understands what is expected of them. With this in mind, I urge you to make sure that you complete your review of our SOPs; as an example, we recently posted a new course for all of our Human Resources policies and procedures. I want to make sure that our expectations are crystal clear so that you are empowered to do the important work you do each day to serve our city.
Lastly, it is also getting close to District government's open enrollment period (November 13-December 11, 2023) - please make sure you have evaluated you and your family's needs prior to that time so that you are ready to make any necessary changes to your enrollment(s) for District employee benefits. Our Human Resources team stands ready to assist with any questions you might have in the lead-up to Open Enrollment.
As always, thank you for your commitment to be intentional about your work and focused on our mission. You are making a positive difference for District residents, businesses, and visitors each day.
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Onward,
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 Brian J. Hanlon, AIA LEED AP®
Acting Director
 Acting Director Hanlon and Councilmember Trayon White with neighbor Dylan Carragher
Earlier this month, Acting Director Brian Hanlon and other members of DOB accompanied Councilmember Trayon White (Ward 8) on a community walk. As part of our continued collaboration with the DC Council, these walks provide a great opportunity to engage with the community and address any questions or concerns about our work.
 DOB Inspector Jamal Duncan examines roof of adjoining vacant property
DOB also had the pleasure of joining Mayor Muriel Bowser, Acting Director Tiffany Crowe of the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), and other District leaders for a walk in Mount Pleasant.
 Acting Director Brian Hanlon, Account Managers Janelle Williams and Jason Williamson compare notes with a resident on Mount Pleasant walk
These efforts are crucial steps that DOB takes to show our customers that we are present and here to help. When we are intentional each day with our work, we are able to progress forward as the agency that this city needs.
 Brittney Jackson, Tamika Cambridge, and Erik Cox showcase their Halloween style
This is Halloween, the spookiest of seasons -- share some costume photos from this year with the team!
Shared photos will be featured in next month's internal newsletter; please send any photos to daniel.garay@dc.gov.
 Gwendolyn Allen also showed out with a great spooky season fit
 Last week, DOB was proud to introduce a new digital platform for the processing and tracking of online applications, Certifi. Debuting October 23, 2023, this new platform delivers a valuable improvement in our processes, enhancing our service delivery and improving the customer experience by centralizing and demystifying the process of obtaining Certificates of Occupancy (C of Os). Using their Access DC login, users will be able to see the status of their application at a moment’s notice and will be prompted by system-generated notifications to upload documentation necessary for their application or submit payment.
New C of O applications are now only processed in Certifi. In-progress applications that were active prior to our introduction of Certifi must be completed and C of Os issued no later than December 4, 2023, or customers will be required to submit a new application using Certifi.
Certifi
DOB’s new online platform allows for the for the centralized submission, tracking, and issuance of C of O applications.
- Our new platform allows users to see at a glance how different DOB reviews require certain documents, clarifies and simplifies the application process by allowing users to move through a step-by-step path based on their project’s needs, and increases transparency and efficiency of the review process for applicants and DOB reviewers.
- In the District of Columbia, we want to encourage responsible growth and development, but we also want to ensure that construction happens safely. This platform allows us to continue prioritizing safety while also enhancing the customer experience and streamlining our processes, leading to a seamless progression that allows customers to hold us accountable and boosts our processing capacity.
Certifi offers a completely digitized application process, increased collaboration between internal teams and customers, and ultimately faster issuance times due to built-in system notifications and triggers to help drive the process to completion.
How To Access Certifi
Customers will navigate to Certifi and use their single sign-on, Access DC, to log in efficiently and securely; cstomers may also learn more about Certifi and access it on our website at dob.dc.gov/certifi.
- Once customers have logged in, they will be brought to a central dashboard, where you can view in-progress applications, check payment, and begin new applications. When they proceed through a new application, they will receive prompts to upload necessary documentation as you advance.
- Once customers submit an application, they will receive email updates for further instructions, review updates, and payment details.
Obtaining C of Os has become so much easier using Certifi. We are working hard to make the platform even stronger, and will add further functionality and enhancements in the future as we continue to engage stakeholders on ways we can make our platform work even more seamlessly.
 In our last newsletter, we spoke about the addition of our agencywide policies and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to Trainual, the official digital training platform of DOB.
By integrating these documents directly into our learning environment, we are providing a more comprehensive and streamlined approach to onboarding employees while offering continuous learning opportunities for new and existing staff.
Employees are required to review their assignments and submit the acknowledgement form within thirty (30) days—unless directed otherwise by your direct supervisor. As more policies and procedures become published, they will be uploaded to the Trainual platform and assigned appropriately.
If you have any questions regarding this process, please reach out to Douglas LeBlanc (Douglas.LeBlanc1@dc.gov) or Meagan Browne (Meagan.Browne@dc.gov) of the Agency Performance team for additional information. Ashelley Wilder (Ashelley.Wilder@dc.gov), DOB's Training Coordinator, can also address any questions you may have.
 The Open Enrollment period for employee benefits for 2023 began on Monday, November 13, 2023 and runs through Monday, December 11, 2023. This is your annual opportunity to review your current benefit elections and make any necessary changes in PeopleSoft.
To review your benefits, log in and select Benefits from the Employee Self-Service page. Please note that any changes to your elections will be reflected on January 1, 2024.
Please note: Current annual pledges do not carry forward into the new plan year.If you want a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) for 2024, you must re-enroll with a new annual pledge every year for healthcare and dependent care programs.
If you have any questions about your benefits or Open Enrollment, please contact with your assigned Human Resources Specialist.
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