November 2023 Edition
Dear Customers,
In case you missed it, I am honored to share the exciting news that I have been confirmed as the permanent Director of the DC Department of Buildings (DOB) by the Council of the District of Columbia earlier this month. I am proud to serve as the first permanent Director in DOB's history.
Alongside this confirmation, I am pleased to announce the confirmation of three key deputies, essential to our operations:
- Nicole Rogers, Chief Building Official
- Kathleen Beeton, Zoning Administrator
- Keith Parsons, Strategic Enforcement Administrator
We are thrilled about the promising future ahead for DOB and the invaluable contributions each member of our senior management team will make in propelling us forward.
In this newsletter, we also dive into our role in enforcing District property maintenance standards, and further speak to DOB's role in collaboration with other regulatory authorities. Tending the District's built environment is a huge challenge, and we share responsibility with several other stakeholders. It is rewarding working together to deliver vital services to the larger District community.
Thank you for your continued support as we work together to enhance the safety and well-being of the District of Columbia.
Onward,
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 Brian J. Hanlon, AIA LEED AP®
Director
Brian J. Hanlon was confirmed as permanent Director of DOB by the District of Columbia Council earlier this month. He was appointed as DOB's Acting Director by Mayor Muriel Bowser on May 8, 2023. Director Hanlon is the first permanent Director in DOB's history. For more information about Brian, please visit our website.
Additionally, as part of the Council resolution, three deputies subject to Council's confirmation process who had previously been appointed to acting roles were also confirmed:
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Nicole Rogers
Chief Building Official
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Kathleen Beeton
Zoning Administrator
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Keith Parsons
Strategic Enforcement Administrator
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We are excited for DOB's future and how each of these members of our senior management team will help move us forward.
 Ward 6 MOCRS Core Team Walk with DOB, DBH, MPD, and DOH
Members of our account management team joined the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), Department of Behavioral Health (DBH), Department of Health (DOH), and the Mayor's Office of Community Relations and Services (MOCRS) for a community walk in Ward 6. These walks enable our team to show that we are available to engage with residents and businesses to ensure they are connected to our services
 Director Brian Hanlon and Account Manager Dellannea Hutchinson
Our team was also present in Anacostia for the renaming of Good Hope Road to Marion Barry Avenue. This was an important event to acknowledge the District's heritage, and we were proud to be present for this historic day.
 Director Brian Hanlon and Chief Building Official Nicole Rogers
Earlier this month, Director Brian Hanlon and Chief Building Official Nicole Rogers attended the DC Green Bank's Fifth Year Anniversary event. The DC Green Bank is an innovative policy tool that uses public purpose funding to attract private investment. Its stated goal is to expand renewable energy, lower energy costs, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, create green jobs, and enhance resilience. Our partnership with other District government agencies and private/non-profit partners is vital as we seek to balance a dynamic built environment with the sustainability mindset that we must foster.
 DOB is mandated to ensure public health, safety, and welfare by enforcing property maintenance codes on all residential and non-residential structures in the District of Columbia.
With the colder weather beginning to arrive, it is important that units are kept at appropriate interior temperatures. Per District regulations, heating equipment shall maintain a temperature of not less than 68° F in all
habitable rooms and bathrooms between October 1 and May 1. With a two-pipe system, or any other system reasonably requiring more than 15 days to transition from air-conditioning to heat, the heat shall be supplied during a period starting no later than October 15 and ending no earlier than May 1.
DOB enforces the minimum requirement for premises, structures, equipment, and facilities for light, ventilation, space, heating, sanitation, protection from the elements, life safety, safety from fire and other hazards, and for safe and sanitary maintenance. In addition to these requirements, all rental properties in the District of Columbia must be properly licensed and inspected. To check the status of a rental property, visit scout.dcra.dc.gov and search by address.
If you feel your apartment or building does not comply with the standards, you should take the following steps to identify necessary
repairs:
1) Write out a list of code violations using the Housing Code Standards or the more detailed regulations in Title 14 of the DC
Municipal Regulations to determine what must be repaired. Make one
list of violations for your apartment and another list of violations for
common areas such as the hallways, stairs, yard, etc. Sign and date
any lists you make. Preserve physical evidence of violations (including
photographs of dead insects, rats, or mice) to show to the DC housing
inspector. Try to bring a witness with you for complaints.
2) All requests for repairs should be sent in writing to the landlord,
resident manager, or rental office asking them to make the repairs.
Keep a copy of every letter or note you write and make a list of all
calls, letters, and meetings along with the date and time they occurred.
When calling the landlord, make certain you obtain the name of the
person who takes your complaint. Keep a calendar or other written
notes that include when the problems started, when the landlord was
contacted, what was done in response to the complaint, and when and
if the repairs were completed. Send the letters via certified mail, return
receipt, and/or obtain a receipt from the landlord for delivery of
letters, if possible.
3) If you receive no response to your complaint or the repairs are not
made, invite the landlord or resident manager to meet with you or the
tenant organization to discuss the violations and repairs.
4) If management still does not respond, you should request a housing
inspection by going to dob.dc.gov and using our service selector on the front page to access our webform.
 Users may also request an inspection by emailing dob@dc.gov. Please include your name, phone number, and a summary of your issues.
An inspection will usually be scheduled within a week, but an inspector will respond sooner in emergencies. Remember to keep a copy of every letter or note and make a list of all calls, letters, and meetings along with the date and time they occurred.
Strong enforcement of regulations is essential for protecting the public interest. DOB plays a crucial role in ensuring that businesses and individuals comply with regulations that are designed to protect public health, safety, and the environment, but we don’t do it alone.
Through collaboration with other District authorities including, but not limited to the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH), Real Property Tax Appeals Commission (RPTAC), and Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP), DOB is committed to the difficult work of achieving compliance to District law for the safety and security of residents, businesses, and visitors.
How DOB Can Help: Residential Inspection
DOB wants to ensure your building and your unit is healthy and safe. One of the best ways we can accomplish this is through tenants feeling empowered to report any suspected housing violations. District law requires landlords to provide apartments that are in safe, habitable, and in livable condition. The landlord has a duty to make all repairs necessary to make buildings and apartments habitable. DC law also requires landlords to maintain buildings and apartments according to many established standards. For more information, check out the DC Housing Code Standards.
Residents may request property maintenance inspections by using the
service selector on the homepage of dob.dc.gov or through our Housing Inspection and Property Maintenance Request Form. If your inspection is being requested due to an emergency, DOB will dispatch an inspector within one day. For all non-emergency inspections, scheduling will take place in the order that requests are received. For any emergency or routine issues that are found in the initial inspection, a follow-up inspection will take place to ensure that any issues were abated properly. Property owners must abate emergency violations within 24 hours and have up to 60 days to abate any further non-emergency violations. For more information, please visit our Inspection Resources page.
How DOB Can Help: Illegal Construction
Any construction in the District of Columbia without required building permits is illegal. Illegal construction is a public danger that can hurt people and property.
If you see illegal construction activity in the District, please report it by submitting an Illegal Construction Inspection Request Form or by visiting the District's 311 portal at 311.dc.gov, calling 311, using the mobile 311 app, texting DC311, or by tweeting @DC311. Provide the address and describe the illegal construction, and DOB will schedule an inspection to investigate.
Construction in the District of Columbia is allowed Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. without any special permits. Customers must apply for an afterhours permit to work beyond these legal construction hours. A full list of no construction holidays can be found here. If you believe work is being done after legal hours without a permit, please report it to DOB via our Illegal Construction Inspection Request Form. Feel free to visit our website to learn more about our efforts to counter Illegal Construction.
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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