DC Government

Photo by PoPville flickr user Jamelle Bouie

From a press release:

“Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser joined District Department of Transportation (DDOT) Director Leif Dormsjo to launch the District’s fourth AlleyPalooza campaign and announce historic investments in Washington, DC’s alleys. Through increased budget allotments, better financial management, and aggressive program management, the Bowser Administration has been able to increase funding for alley maintenance and rehabilitation to unprecedented levels. In fiscal year 2014, $4.13 million was spent on alley maintenance and rehabilitation. In fiscal year 2015, this funding increased to $13.95 million – more than three times the amount spent the previous year, and in fiscal year 2016 the funding increased again to $15.82 million.

“We are investing in Washington, DC’s alleys at historic levels because they are a key part of our infrastructure and their condition is of vital importance to the health of the District,” said Mayor Bowser. “AlleyPalooza 4.0 builds on a highly successful initiative and demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that Washington, DC’s infrastructure is safe and reliable.”

AlleyPalooza is the Mayor’s initiative to repair and renovate alleys in all eight wards. Since launching AlleyPalooza in 2015, nearly 300 alleys have been improved throughout Washington, DC. (more…)

Thanks to all who passed on from the Humane Rescue Alliance:

“DC CATS ARE BEING THREATENED

The District’s City Council has taken the first vote to approve a bill with potential long-term threats to ALL cats residing in the District of Columbia. The Humane Rescue Alliance (HRA) adamantly opposes this language and you should too. The bill, as proposed:

Would give the mayor the authority to categorize cats as an invasive or nuisance species.
Could jeopardize the use of our nationally-recognized and highly successful Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program.

The proposed bill, Bill 21-386, gives the mayor the authority to categorize cats as an invasive or nuisance species. (more…)

Photo by PoPville flickr user Ted Eytan

From the Mayor’s Office last night:

“Today, Mayor Bowser issued the following statement reaffirming the District’s status as a sanctuary city:

“The values, laws, and policies of Washington, DC did not change on Election Day. We celebrate our diversity and respect all DC residents no matter their immigration status. We are a sanctuary city because we know that our neighborhoods are safer and stronger when no one is afraid to call on our government for help, and when our police can focus on protecting and serving.”

Photo by PoPville flickr user Tim Brown

From the DC Board of Elections:

Total Ballots Cast 287,403

Hillary Clinton – Tim Kaine 260,223 90.54%
Donald J. Trump – Michael R. Pence 11,553 4.02%

DELEGATE TO THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Eleanor Holmes Norton 244,711 85.15%

AT – LARGE MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

David Grosso 102,544 17.84%
Robert White 217,834 37.9%
UNDER VOTES 159,593 27.76%

Other Council Member Victors by Ward are Vincent C. Gray, Brandon Todd, Jack Evans, and Trayon “Ward Eight” White. (more…)

“Dear PoPville,

Not sure what the story is here but was pretty shocked this morning to get to the polls at HD Cooke school with my updated registration card (that I received last week and sent the paperwork for prior to the deadline to do so), only to be told by the polling staffer that my file in their registration file had my old address and that I would have to get in line with a special ballot pass and refile my registration information. When I showed them the card that clearly stated my updated address, they said there was nothing they could do and that this had happened already many times today. (more…)

From a press release:

“On Thursday, Mayor Muriel Bowser, joined by Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency Director Chris Geldart and DC Office of Unified Communications Director Karima Holmes noted the 10th Anniversary of the consolidation of 911 and 311 operations and also gave updates on the city’s operations new Text to DC311 service.

In September as part of the Mayor’s Street Light Repair Drive, she announced the addition of Text to DC311. The service has been upgraded to allow connection to the 311 Menu to report an array of city service needs.

As part of the commemoration, she presented an Appreciation of Recognition to the Executive Director of the Downtown Cluster of Congregations, Terrance Lynch, as 311 “Super User”. She noted his role in bringing attention to street lights being out in neighborhoods across the city, and his having filed over 10,000 311 requests for various services.”

Mayor’s press release after the jump. (more…)

“Dear PoPville,

Bottom line: I’m trying to convert my basement into a legal separate apartment and am being told by the structural reviewers that I need 7 foot 6 inch ceilings. My architects and I have met personally with the structural reviewer, emailed his boss (who has simply ignored my emails), and finally requested help from Councilmember McDuffie’s office two weeks ago, to no avail. This seems to be a significant change in DCRA’s policy about basement apartments, and one that was done without public consultation.

Sometimes I just want to scream, “fix it!”:

Original letter to CM McDuffie’s office:

“I’m a resident in Eckington and am looking for the Councilmember’s help with an extremely frustrating experience with DCRA.  I requested permits back in the spring to convert my basement into a separate rental unit — permitted by right in my zone.  I retained an architectural firm to draw plans meeting all relevant code to get a business license and certificate of occupancy, and was completely transparent about my intentions in my permit request.

Unfortunately, I am apparently in an absurd no man’s land between the residential codes (which require 7′ ceilings in living spaces) and building codes (which require 7’6” ceilings anytime a structure undergoes a “change of use.”)  In short, this means that although my proposed basement apartment would meet every requirement DCRA specifies for a rental business license and proper certificate of occupancy — and thus all residential safety and health requirements — I am still being denied a building permit.  This interpretation of the building code is evidently a change for DCRA, as the agency has put out multiple documents over the past several years which indicated 7′ ceilings were the requirement (see attached DCRA guidelines).  You can find more details about my request and the referenced code provisions in the emails below.  To change my project to get 7’6″ ceilings would require the painful and ultimately cost-prohibitive underpinning process, and — per DCRA’s own guidelines — is unnecessary for obtaining a rental license. (more…)

From CM Silverman’s office yesterday:

“Today, the D.C. Council took the first of two votes to strengthen the District’s approach to vacant and blighted properties, unanimously approving the Vacant Property Enforcement Amendment Act of 2016 at its regularly scheduled legislative meeting.

The legislation, which was introduced by Councilmember Elissa Silverman (At-Large, Independent) and co-introduced by nine colleagues, reforms the way the District government deals with vacant properties across the city. Specifically, it would reduce the maximum amount of time a vacant property can qualify for an exemption from higher vacancy tax rates and closes a loophole that allows continuous renewal of construction permits to qualify for tax exemptions. It would also require owners of vacant properties to prove they are no longer subject to the higher tax rates, rather than placing the responsibility on inspectors from the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) to re-inspect them every six months. The most recent report from DCRA indicates that there are nearly 1,300 properties designated as vacant or blighted in the District. (more…)