“I currently have wildlife inside the walls of my home because the party wall was damaged”

“Dear PoPville,

I live in a semi detached duplex style house. The neighbor was issued a stop work order in August 2016. The house is currently a see thru with a failing structure. Our party wall is made of wood (shiplap) and it is serving as my exterior wall. I currently have wildlife inside the walls of my home because the party wall was damaged leaving gaping holes larger enough for squirrels or rats or even raccoons.

In November 2016, I went to a DCRA hearing that was required in order for the owner to have his SWO lifted. The owner made an agreement with DCRA to provide an assessment report from a structural engineer so that he would be granted a 10-day notice to correct – effectively allowing the owner to seal up his home in preparation for winter. After the 10 day period the SWO would go back in affect and the original permits would be revoked. Further the owner was required to submit new plans which he did in December 2016 but never submitted the structural engineer report. DCRA has yet to review the newly submitted plans or forced to the owner to abate the structure.

In between time the fire department flagged the home is unsafe F/S “Failed Structure.”

In March 2017 the owner submitted another set of plans to DCRA that included an addition. I have suffered cracks in the walls, cut beams (we share rafter, beams) etc since the house was built in 1910 as one house and separated some years later.”