Anecdotal crime stories aside, the numbers show the H Street NE area is getting relatively safer.
Residents and police meet monthly to track and review monthly crime statistics for the geographic police patrol area known as Police Service Area (PSA) 102. During the past two years, ALL crimes we track--with the exception of thefts from automobiles--have trended downward.
Ugh. I'm getting sick of the negative drivel that passes for journalism about H Street. The race-baiting, the attempt to invigorate divisiveness that is fading, the simply inaccurate pictures being painted are offensive.
I wonder if any of the "journalists" have ever been on H Street--other than perhaps darting over for an interview--and then running away.
Hopefully, we can get more coverage like this piece from NBC4.
Good story. You go, Bertha! 40 is the new 30, that's what I say. I just wish my back agreed with me.
Crime's mostly trending down in Trinidad as well. But you can see at Trinidad-DC.org I just updated the crime statistics and we've see upticks in Assault w/ Gun and Auto Theft. Something for Trinidad Residents to bring up at the next PSA meeting (check out the community calendar).
Our next serious push on H st is to call out all the landlords whom have let their properties become abandoned nuisances on and around H St. The H St SortaBID N.E. (Showbar, Red and Black, Pug, Martini Lounge, Granville Moore, Atlast, RnR, Argo, H St. Playhouse, etc) is going to pitch several ideas to Tommy about getting these property owners to paint, buy windows, lease or sell. We don't want to tolerate the despair, danger and foreboding these sad structures bring to the strip. We'll annouce something formal a little bit down the line. Thanks, Joe Englert
Most of these buildings were bought for less than $100,000 if their owner has had them for more than 3-4 years. So, it isn't like anybody is going to be a victim. The minimum one of these buildings will sell for (2000 sg ft.) is $400,000-$500,000. If they don't sell, get them reappraised, get financing and then sink the $120-150,000 it takes to rent them. That way your nut is $250-300,000 a year and you can rent your space out at a profit even after renovations. The kind of absintee, public be damned attitude has to be defeated on the strip to make it viable for all of us whom work and live here.
Wow, imagine if say just John Formant became a responsible H Street property owner and did something with his blighted structures. Now this is a single landlord that could make a big difference. Unfortunately, this slumlord is glorified in publications like the Hill Rag (because he sends a lot of advertising dollars their way) and most people don't realize how much he has contributed to decay and blight on H Street over the years.
Sorry. A landlord's nut on that $100,000 property after putting $150,000 in would be a total of $250,000 and about $1800 a month. Tenant pays taxes utilities and insurance. And in a short while, you could probably get a good group of businesses that could and would pay that kind of rent. Then you could actually have other businesses besides restaurants and bars, the only people whom can afford the $4500-8000 a month rents being charged on H now. This is how you could get your pet stores, dress stores, cingular stores, coffee shops, etc. to come to H. We will move hard on this soon and your e-mails and calls to city council will move this along in a quick mannner. Thanks, Joe Englert
Part of the problem on abandoned and neglected properties is that there are two separate processes involved.
DCRA is pretty good about getting properties listed as vacant--but only on their list. OTR is the agency that has to impose the higher tax rate ($5 vs. $.88)--through management of their own separate list (which they do not update based on the DCRA list).
This is something that I've spoken with Councilmember Wells about on a couple of occaisions--that it is far too difficult to get the second step of having the higher tax rate imposed.
Also, the higher tax rate can only be imposed for vacant properties, not neglected properties, which to me takes care of the concern about unfairly affecting poor property owners.
There is also the ReStore program, which is supposed to take steps to use eminent domain (or maybe condemnation, I'm not 100% certain) to take vacant properties in commercial zones so that they can be finally rehabilitated. But, this hasn't been used very much and doesn't seem to be a priority.
12 comments:
Talk about pathetic stories.
I strained to find two or three positive items... and came away dissapointed.
What's up with all the 'bad press' H Street is getting?
Anecdotal crime stories aside, the numbers show the H Street NE area is getting relatively safer.
Residents and police meet monthly to track and review monthly crime statistics for the geographic police patrol area known as Police Service Area (PSA) 102. During the past two years, ALL crimes we track--with the exception of thefts from automobiles--have trended downward.
Learn more at http://psa102.blogspot.com.
Ugh. I'm getting sick of the negative drivel that passes for journalism about H Street. The race-baiting, the attempt to invigorate divisiveness that is fading, the simply inaccurate pictures being painted are offensive.
I wonder if any of the "journalists" have ever been on H Street--other than perhaps darting over for an interview--and then running away.
Hopefully, we can get more coverage like this piece from NBC4.
http://video.nbc4.com/player/?id=83357
Best,
Alan Kimber
ANC Commissioner, 6C05
Good story. You go, Bertha! 40 is the new 30, that's what I say. I just wish my back agreed with me.
Crime's mostly trending down in Trinidad as well. But you can see at Trinidad-DC.org I just updated the crime statistics and we've see upticks in Assault w/ Gun and Auto Theft. Something for Trinidad Residents to bring up at the next PSA meeting (check out the community calendar).
Elise,
Our next serious push on H st is to call out all the landlords whom have let their properties become abandoned nuisances on and around H St. The H St SortaBID N.E. (Showbar, Red and Black, Pug, Martini Lounge, Granville Moore, Atlast, RnR, Argo, H St. Playhouse, etc) is going to pitch several ideas to Tommy about getting these property owners to paint, buy windows, lease or sell.
We don't want to tolerate the despair, danger and foreboding these sad structures bring to the strip. We'll annouce something formal a little bit down the line. Thanks, Joe Englert
Wow, that will be a massive undertaking, but it will also be an extremely popular one (except of course for some of the property owners).
Great idea Joe. The landlords need to take ownership.
Most of these buildings were bought for less than $100,000 if their owner has had them for more than 3-4 years. So, it isn't like anybody is going to be a victim. The minimum one of these buildings will sell for (2000 sg ft.) is $400,000-$500,000. If they don't sell, get them reappraised, get financing and then sink the $120-150,000 it takes to rent them. That way your nut is $250-300,000 a year and you can rent your space out at a profit even after renovations. The kind of absintee, public be damned attitude has to be defeated on the strip to make it viable for all of us whom work and live here.
Wow, imagine if say just John Formant became a responsible H Street property owner and did something with his blighted structures. Now this is a single landlord that could make a big difference. Unfortunately, this slumlord is glorified in publications like the Hill Rag (because he sends a lot of advertising dollars their way) and most people don't realize how much he has contributed to decay and blight on H Street over the years.
Sorry. A landlord's nut on that $100,000 property after putting $150,000 in would be a total of $250,000 and about $1800 a month. Tenant pays taxes utilities and insurance. And in a short while, you could probably get a good group of businesses that could and would pay that kind of rent.
Then you could actually have other businesses besides restaurants and bars, the only people whom can afford the $4500-8000 a month rents being charged on H now.
This is how you could get your pet stores, dress stores, cingular stores, coffee shops, etc. to come to H.
We will move hard on this soon and your e-mails and calls to city council will move this along in a quick mannner.
Thanks, Joe Englert
amen on the formant comment! that guy has done ZERO for h street besides hoard and sit on tons of property.
Part of the problem on abandoned and neglected properties is that there are two separate processes involved.
DCRA is pretty good about getting properties listed as vacant--but only on their list. OTR is the agency that has to impose the higher tax rate ($5 vs. $.88)--through management of their own separate list (which they do not update based on the DCRA list).
This is something that I've spoken with Councilmember Wells about on a couple of occaisions--that it is far too difficult to get the second step of having the higher tax rate imposed.
Also, the higher tax rate can only be imposed for vacant properties, not neglected properties, which to me takes care of the concern about unfairly affecting poor property owners.
There is also the ReStore program, which is supposed to take steps to use eminent domain (or maybe condemnation, I'm not 100% certain) to take vacant properties in commercial zones so that they can be finally rehabilitated. But, this hasn't been used very much and doesn't seem to be a priority.
Best,
Alan Kimber
ANC Commissioner, 6C05
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