Sorry for being a little heavy on ANC letters today, but this is one you should read. Recently the District cleared everything off their vacant property list, and now they are re-evaluating properties for inclusion. The letter below suggests changes to the definition of "blight", and to the way we tax vacant properties.
May 17, 2010
The Honorable Muriel Bowser
Council of the District of Columbia
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 110
Washington, DC 20004
The Honorable Jack Evans
Council of the District of Columbia
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 106
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Councilmember Bowser and Councilmember Evans:
As you know, ANC 6A has worked hard over the past 3 years to identify and mitigate vacant property in our neighborhood and we believe that even when vacant properties are not “blighted,” they are a burden our community, because when homes are unoccupied and poorly maintained, they tend to become eyesores that attract vermin, litter, and criminal activity. For these reasons, we applauded your recent proposal to restore a distinct tax class for vacant properties that provides owners a strong financial incentive to reoccupy or sell their property and submitted our own legislative proposal regarding vacant and blighted properties to you for your consideration. We believe that a restored vacant property tax rate with few, if any, exemptions should be enacted as soon as possible.
Our ANC recently added language to our legislative proposal to reform the vacant property laws to include an improved statutory definition for “blighted.” We believe our proposal largely mirrors the proposed expanded definition of “blighted” within Councilmember Bowser’s bill 18-546. In particular, we believe that any property which has been deemed “uninhabitable” should be considered “blighted.” We also believe that the section of the code that defines “blighted” should be modified to make the consideration of the listed factors mandatory, rather than permissive, and should therefore also include a catch-all provision to allow for other properties, which are clearly blighted that may not fall within the delineated factors to be so classified.
We urge you and the full Council to consider a vacant property tax system that eliminates all exemptions except for military personnel who are on temporary reassignment and instead features an escalating tax rate based on the number of years a property is vacant. We also encourage you to amend the definition of “blighted” to allow for more accurate classification of the many properties that are widely recognized as such, but which have not been so classified due to the overly restrictive and permissive language under current law.
We hope you agree and will consider our proposal as you continue to reform the Vacant Property System.
On behalf of the Commission,
Kelvin J. Robinson
Chair, Advisory Neighborhood Commission 6A
cc: Tommy Wells, Councilmember, Ward 6
Members, District of Columbia Council
Linda Argo, Director, DCRA
Reuben Pemberton, Director Vacant Property, DCRA
14 comments:
I am not sure why the Council is reluctant to pass stringent and enforceable property legislation.
I know that some of it has to do with protecting a number of churches (for example, Shiloh Baptist in Shaw) that have voluminous vacant property holdings.
I know that some of it has to do with protecting families in Prince George's County that cannot afford to fix "grandma's old house on 5th Street" but want to maximize their appreciation.
I know that some of it has to do with appeasing developers who are putting money in reelection coffers. Vincent Orange and John Ray know all about this (just look at the Florida Market controversy).
But what else?
In a nutshell what's the controversy over the Florida Market?
How do the properties get re-evaluated? There is a property on my block that needs to be on that list.
In a nutshell what's the controversy over the Florida Market?
Large Florida Market property holder Sang Oh Choi et al (wealthy grocer) took Mayor Williams on a vacation to South Korea and gave lots of loot to Vincent Orange's mayoral campaign (via John Ray).
Vincent Orange convinced DC Council to pass legislation selecting a certain developer to develop the Florida market parcels (with the exception of majority parcel holder Gallaudet, which had their own ambitions). Developer needed city funding for the $1.2B development, which was slowly but surely drying up. Developer also needed 50% of Market vendors to agree to the deal.
Mayhem, complaining, project stalls and craps out. Office of Planning studies, Gallaudet meetings, etc. Not sure where it is now...inked?
Deets: http://capitalcitymarket.blogspot.com/
How do the properties get re-evaluated? There is a property on my block that needs to be on that list.
So that the city knows it is vacant and not occupied?
http://dcra.dc.gov/dcra/cwp/view,a,1343,q,625194.asp or
vacantproperty@dc.gov
Both are equally unreliable.
Not on Parker,
The three largest land owners (Choi's group, Gallaudet, and J Street) have worked things out a bit more, so the plan is better than the original. I think they tanking of the market has put on the brakes a bit. I haven't heard anything recently.
In the Trinidad and Ivy City area Ward 5 there are more than some vacant property that need to be on this list. I only wish someone would run for ANC5B area.
This needs to happen like yesterday...there is a vacant property on 5th street N.E,thats a faded purple of some sorts and sits in the middle of the block. This property has been vacant for at least 10 years with permits in the window.
5th street
Vacant property office:
http://otr.cfo.dc.gov/otr/cwp/view,a,1330,Q,609710.asp
"Individuals can report vacant property directly to DCRA by calling (202) 442-4332, by emailing dcra@dc.gov, or by using the form found at the link below."
You will in all likelihood have to follow up. I've been bugging them for months about 315 G St NE, which has been abandoned for many years. Technically, it's for sale, but I heard a rumor that when someone wanted to buy it a few years back, the owner wanted payments in gold coins. The potential buyer gave up.
Somehow, despite the boarded up windows and doors, the last inspector did not notice in 2008 that it was not inhabited.
I sent an email in December, got no response. Called in January and was told they would go out and check. Called in March and was told the inspection had been canceled because it was recorded as occupied at the last inspection - which of course was why I had requested the inspection. I called again in April and the inspection for some reason had been canceled again, and the person I had spoken with the first two times no longer worked there. When I called a few weeks ago, I was told an inspection was scheduled for mid-May. Which reminds, me: I need to call again.
ANC6A is in the process of updating its vacant property map. If you live in the ANC and know of a vacant property in your neighborhood, contact your ANC member to make sure it is on their list. Make note of whether it appears "blighted" or not and if does, send a picture.
Check out the ANC website if you don't know who your ANC is or how to contact him/her. http://www.anc6a.org/index.html
You would think the District would work with places like Pepco/DCWASA to determine which properties aren't using utilities. And use that as a good starting point...but then again, we are talking about DCRA.
to npm,
Having hired an expediter to pay off DCRA before, I can attest that the owner is just shelling out more to DCRA than you're willing to. Despite FBI crackdowns, DCRA keeps resorting back to paying off inside officials and inspectors.
If you want something done, get your CM involved.
The vacant property on C ST NE acts as a drug shipping waypoint and late night meeting space. That's why the owners don't want to sell them. It has nothing to do with "appreciation" and everything to do with drug muling.
I hope the unfinished "apartment building" on the 1200 block of Morse gets top of that list.
Post a Comment