DC Government

“The LINE DC and our more than 300 employees are grateful to the DC Council for keeping the hotel’s real estate tax abatement in place”

By Prince Of Petworth


1780 Columbia Road, NW

From a press release:

“The following is a statement from Crawford Sherman, managing director of The LINE DC, on behalf of the hotels more than 300 employees:

The LINE DC and our more than 300 employees are grateful to the DC Council for keeping the hotel’s real estate tax abatement in place for future years, including eligibility for future reimbursement of 2019 & 2020 taxes which were misappropriated by the Council’s FY20 budget amendment. We are pleased to be granted due process and that the rules set forth by the Department of Employment Services will prevail. While compliance with 5 of the 7 provisions of our tax abatement have long been certified, we are eager for resolution of the remaining provisions overseen by DOES, with whom we have worked closely for the past four years. We are confident that the conclusion of this audit will show what we have said from the outset, that we have met all required provisions of the real estate tax abatement. (more…)

Soon You’ll Be Able to eCycle your Electronics at the Library

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Pablo Raw

From the Mayor’s Office:

“Mayor Bowser announced that District of Columbia Public Library (DCPL) will hold collection events this year at libraries in all eight wards to allow District residents and businesses to responsibly recycle their used electronic equipment through the Department of Energy & Environment’s (DOEE) eCycle DC program.

“As one of the greenest cities in the nation, the District is committed to giving our residents convenient opportunities to recycle responsibly right at their local libraries,” said Mayor Bowser. “It takes all of us to keep our city and our world clean, beautiful, and sustainable, and programs like eCycle DC go a long way.”

The first collection events will take place on June 15, from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., at Dorothy I. Height/Benning Library (3935 Benning Road, NE) and Chevy Chase Library (5625 Connecticut Avenue, NW). (more…)

Has anyone solved their Office Tax and Revenue Back Taxes Issues or are you still “in this bureaucratic nightmare”?

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

I’m following up on previous posts about incorrect billing for back income taxes by the DC Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR). I have been trying to resolve a bill from OTR from late 2018 in which they insisted that I never paid my 2014 income taxes. They added (and continue to add) a range of penalties and fees, so that the total balance is now almost $18,000. I have provided all the information that proves that I paid my taxes, to no avail. Now on the OTR web site, my payments appear AS WELL AS the incorrectly billed amount. Most recently, OTR put a lien on my property, which I discovered when I started receiving solicitations from these fly-by-night companies that apparently buy people’s liens from them at a discount. (more…)

“I had a renovation/permitting question that’s in a moral/legal grey area”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Phil

“Dear PoPville,

I have a freestanding house in DC and a few years ago we “finished” off the basement. I say “finished” because all the contractors we talked to said the ceiling was too low (69″ instead of 74″ if I remember right) for it to be living space, it had to be classified as storage. We put in lights, outlets, drywall, replaced the windows and redid the floor, which were all allowed, inspected, and approved.

The thing is, what we wanted most was a small bathroom down there, but we were told the ceiling was too low. I’ve seen many other similar houses with bathrooms and even kitchenettes in the basement, but those were all grandfathered in before the current codes. The contractor we went with advised to do everything else above the board first, then try to do the bathroom on its own later. That way if we were caught doing unpermitted work, we would only be out the time and money spent on the bathroom. So now a few years have passed, and I’m thinking of trying to sneak in a small bathroom, just a toilet, pedestal sink, and shower stall, definitely nothing fancy.

So two questions: (more…)

“The meeting concluded with a 7-year-old, in tears, asking “why does this happen?” Recap of Recent Columbia Heights Public Safety Meetings by Cait DeBaun

By Prince Of Petworth

Thanks to Cait DeBaun for writing these up:

“3rd District Community Advisory Committee meeting (20-30 attendees)

The Third District has stepped up on-foot/bike/car patrols both in uniform and plain-clothed/undercover in the high-activity area. The Crime Suppression Team (where VICE is now centralized) has also increased activity in the 3rd district. The MPD Chief approved overtime pay to meet staffing needs for increased patrols.

The gun violence isn’t attributed to one specific cause. It ranges from petty disagreements to drug deals to gang activity and often comes with uncooperative victims and witnesses. (more…)

ANC1A Public Safety Meeting Tonight to Address Recent Violence in Columbia Heights/Park View

By Prince Of Petworth

From Kent C. Boese | Chair, Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1A:

“In response to the recent increase in gun violence in our community and the urgent need to get answers and find solutions, Advisory Neighborhood Commission 1A has organized a panel for tonight where we can get updates on the efforts being undertaken to restore safety to our community. The event is scheduled for tonight (5/29) beginning at 7 pm. It will be held in the gymnasium of the Harriet Tubman Elementary School.

The following organizations and guests have been invited: (more…)

“The state of the sidewalk on U between 17th and Florida Ave, NW”

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

I walk the stretch of U St between 17th and Florida everyday, and the sidewalk is a disaster. Already narrow, it’s beleaguered be empty tree boxes that take up half the sidewalk. Most of them are not cared for so the bricks come loose, and the boxes are full of mud. It’s one thing as someone who is able bodied, you have to take turns walking with pedestrians coming from the opposite direction. But for those who are in wheelchairs, this stretch of U Street is a no go zone.”

All the Details on Outdoor Swimming Pools and Spray Parks Opening Saturday – Plus Party at Langdon Park Pool Friday

By Prince Of Petworth


2500 Georgia Avenue, NW

From DPR:

“On Friday, May 24, at 4 pm, Mayor Muriel Bowser and the DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) will host hundreds of residents to kick off the 2019 outdoor pool season with the annual celebratory event, “Jump In, DC” at Langdon Park Pool and Spray Park located at 2860 Mills Avenue, NE.

“We are ecstatic to officially welcome residents from across all eight wards to one of our premier aquatic facilities, as we open pools and highlight some of the great things taking place in our parks and recreation centers,” said DPR Director Delano Hunter.

Langdon Park Pool, renovated in 2018, is the only outdoor pool in DPR’s inventory that has a combination pool and spray park. The pool party will include live entertainment, food, giveaways, a live broadcast by WKYS on-air personality, Little Bacon Bear, and the ceremonial jumping into the pool.

This year, joining the Mayor will be 100 year-old, 10-time National Senior Games swim medalist, and Ward 5 resident, John Tatum. Mr. Tatum recently celebrated his 100 birthday this past April and will be on hand when the first attendees jump in the pool to mark the beginning of outdoor pool season.

All DPR outdoor pools and spray parks will be open the following day Saturday, May 25, through Memorial Day Monday, May 27. Pools then remain open on a weekend-only schedule (Saturday and Sunday) through June 16. (more…)

Whoa. WMATA Pulls Columbia Heights Dog Park Land Off The Market “will negotiate with the District to purchase the property.”

By Prince Of Petworth


11th and Park Road, NW

Brianne K. Nadeau tweets this morning:

“Great news on the Columbia Heights dog park. I got this letter from @wmata yesterday evening. Thanks to our efforts, they decided to pull it off the market and will negotiate with the District to purchase the property. @11thandBark #SaveTheDogPark”

From the letter:

“That process requires WMATA to sell property for ‘fair market value’, which is equal to $2,150,000 for the 1100 Park Road, NW property.”

Full letter: (more…)

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