DC Government

“Any advice on how to get a human at the Office of Tax and Revenue to help?”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Phil

“Dear PoPville,

The DC government never gave me my 2017 tax refund, and I am running into nothing but dead ends (and hold lines) in an attempt to resolve the issue. Has anyone had this experience and/or have any advice on how to get a human at the Office of Tax and Revenue to help me?

I am able to log into the MyTax DC account and I can see that my individual income tax return was “processed” on April 2, 2018. I can see that a balance is owed to me, but this refund has not been mailed or direct deposited, and there is no indication it is going to be returned to me. My refund is basically just sitting there as a positive balance.

My attempts to contact the Office of Tax and Revenue have not been fruitful: (more…)

If you recently got ticketed for leaving your trash can out – you’re in luck!!

By Prince Of Petworth

Team PoPville always on your side!!

From DPW:

“The Department of Public Works (DPW) has dismissed all Notice of Violations (NOV) issued for solid waste containers being in public space at the wrong time for those who had not previously received a warning. The dismissal applies to 377 citations issued between February 19 (Presidents’ Day) and May 15. Moving forward, DPW’s Solid Waste and Education Enforcement Program (SWEEP) inspectors will issue warnings for this violation type prior to issuing a citation, which carries a $75 fine. (more…)

“How can anyone possibly track success or failure if these stats don’t exist?

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by Laura

“Dear PoPville,

I have tried without success to find the DC Police clearance rate when it comes to murders, shootings and robberies. In Chicago, the police only clear 4% of shootings and 14% of murders. To remedy this, they are considering adding more detectives. I live in Park View and in my personal experience, I rarely see any of these types of crimes cleared. The police say they don’t track these stats. [Ed. Note: I’m sure they must track homicides clearances, maybe they don’t share it with us but surely they track it, no?] Obviously other cities do, so why don’t we? How can anyone possibly track success or failure if these stats don’t exist?”

Update: Related –

Your chance to give DDOT feedback on Dockless Bikes

By Prince Of Petworth

From DDOT:

“The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) launched a new survey to get feedback about the dockless vehicle demonstration project that is currently being piloted in the District.

The survey is designed to get a better understanding of how the program fits in the District’s existing bikesharing system and the profile of current dockless bikeshare riders. The survey asks respondents to evaluate the program and provide their perspective as riders or non-riders, respectively. The survey will be open to the public until June 1, 2018. (more…)

BREAKING: Outdoor Pools Open Saturday, May 26!!

By Prince Of Petworth


Beautiful, beautiful Banneker. 2500 Georgia Avenue, NW

Another way to shake these Monday morning blues – the finest sign of spring – outdoor pool season!!

Lots of folks have been asking when we roll so here’s the good word from DPR:

“All pools will open Satuday, May 26, Memorial Day weekend except East Potomac and Langdon. We operate weekends only until school is out. Then (6) days/week, each pool has a dedicated closed day. East Potomac will be offline summer 2018 – it will open in 2019. Langdon will open in June 2018.

Grand Opening event with Mayor Bowser #JumpInDC”

Think the DMV will issue FU Series License Plates?

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by #PoPville instagram contributor @jww_color

“Dear PoPville,

I’ve started to notice the sequencing of DC-issued license plates has now hit FT and once DMV issues FT-9999, the question becomes will it issue FU-0000 or will they skip FU (and hopefully FV) and go directly to FW-0000. Hopefully someone in DMV has already thought this through, but any idea if DC government has any foresight to avoid an embarrassing snafu in an election year?”

Ed. Note: “an embarrassing snafu in an election year?” hahaha about that whole is D.C. cool debate…but now I am curious if there will be an FU series of plates. Let me rosin up my bow.

U Street ANC Objects to Later Open Hours for The Mediterranean Spot

By Prince Of Petworth

The following was written by PoPville contributor David McAuley, founder of Short Articles about Long Meetings.


1501 U Street, NW

Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 1B/U Street, at its regularly-scheduled monthly meeting May 3, voted to protest a request by Pal the Mediterranean Spot, a restaurant at 1501 U Street NW, to be allowed to serve alcohol until 2am Sunday-Thursday, and 3am Friday-Sunday. Currently, the restaurant must cease serving alcohol at midnight, seven days a week.

At the ANC meeting, the owner of Pal the Mediterranean Spot testified that he had been operating the restaurant in its present location for six years, and had been doing business in the area for 20 years [Ed. Note: previously as 24 Seven down the block.] The restaurant had not had problems “with any neighbor except one”. The owner challenged anyone to show that his restaurant had been anything but a law-abiding operation, “if you have any picture”.

A head of a tenant’s association of a nearby property testified the restaurant was a good neighbor. “I’m shocked,” he said, about the complaints about the restaurant. “I don’t notice any problem.”

A neighbor who wished the ANC to protest the request also spoke. She said she has a residential property that shares a common wall with the restaurant.

“We’re not trying to put them out of business,” the neighbor said. (more…)

“Lanier Heights Continues to Battle Popups”

By Prince Of Petworth

The following was written by PoPville contributor David McAuley, founder of Short Articles about Long Meetings.


via Office of Zoning files

Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 1C/Adams Morgan, at its regularly-scheduled meeting on May 2, voted unanimously to oppose an attempt to increase the height of a residential building at 1766 Lanier Place NW. The proposed expansion requires the developers to get zoning relief, which is what brought the matter before the ANC.

The property is in an area which was “downzoned” in 2016, after residents successfully persuaded the DC Zoning Commission to change the area’s zoning designation (today called “RF-1”) so that buildings were limited to three stories of no more than 35 feet total. (more…)

Here are the 53 Recipients of the 2018 Great Streets Small Business Grants

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Lorie Shaull

From the Mayor’s Office:

“Mayor Muriel Bowser today awarded over $2.6 million in Great Streets Small Business Capital Improvement Reimbursement Grants to 53 small businesses across all eight wards. This investment continues the Bowser Administration’s efforts to support local businesses, create new job opportunities for DC residents, and grow the District’s emerging neighborhoods.

“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy – they create jobs and business for DC residents and neighborhoods and help us give Washingtonians in all eight wards a fair shot,” said Mayor Bowser. “It is fitting that we celebrate the Great Streets grantees during Small Business Week, highlighting all they do to create opportunity and drive innovation in Washington, DC.”

The competitive grants were awarded to small business owners who represent the District’s diverse business community, from restaurants and retail to fitness centers and creative spaces. The Fiscal Year 2018 grantees include: (more…)

“Crowdy Court” to be Mt. Vernon Squangle’s Newest Address

By Prince Of Petworth

The following was written by PoPville contributor David McAuley, founder of Short Articles about Long Meetings.


photo via Wikipedia by AgnosticPreachersKid

At its regularly-scheduled meeting May 1, Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 6E/Shaw voted to support a proposal to name a set of Mt. Vernon Squangle alleys “Crowdy Court”. After the vote, Councilmember Charles Allen (Ward Six) told the ANC that he would introduce a law to the City Council to make the name official.

“I’ll proudly introduce that legislation,” Allen said.

The alleys are located in the interior of the block bordered by Fourth Street, M Street, Fifth Street, and New York Avenue NW. They will be named in honor of William Saunders Crowdy, who was born into slavery in Maryland, escaped, served in the Union Army, and became, in 1896, the founder of The Church of God and Saints of Christ, a Black Hebrew Israelite religious group, according to Wikipedia. (more…)

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