Dear PoPville

“Since last Sunday, I am currently dealing with a gas leak in my apartment building”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user VTnardo

“Dear Popville,

I am currently dealing with a gas leak in my apartment building on Scott Circle. Since last Sunday, we have been without the ability to cook (gas oven and stove), no A/C, and no ability to dry clothes. I am a renter, not an owner, so I am not privy to email updates from the building, and have had to find out all this information through third parties. I have already asked my landlord to update me in a timely manner. My question is, is there anything else I can do? It is costing me a lot of money to eat out, travel to do laundry, and is general pain to have no A/C as the District starts to rapidly warm up. Thank for you input!”

“I am having a hard time finding a DC/MD area practice that offers this in lieu of allergy shots”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Tim Brown

“Dear PoPville,

I just saw an article on NPR about an alternative to allergy shots called sublingual immunotherapy, or SLIT, that you take at home as a tablet, instead of getting allergy shots in an office.

Apparently it has been around a few years and is effective. That said, I am having a hard time finding a DC/MD area practice that offers this in lieu of allergy shots and will let you do it from home (the one area website I found discussing this referenced taking the tablets in their office). Given the main benefit would be avoiding weekly visits to the allergist, I was hoping someone knows a practice that lets you take the tablets at home and could provide a good recommendation!

Bonus points for the practice being in network with BlueCross.”

“You might have read some of the recent coverage of the latest city government screw-up”

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

You might have read some of the recent coverage of the latest city government screw-up: Serve DC (in the mayor’s office) didn’t bother to file DC’s grant paperwork with the Corporation for National and Community Service this year, which is going to cost the city $3.75M in federal funding that goes to support the work of City Year (those nice young people in the red jackets), and two early literacy intervention nonprofits, Literacy Lab and Reading Partners.

Many studies show that it’s vitally important that kids be reading at grade level by the fourth grade. At that point, they’re no longer reading to learn to read, they’re reading to learn all their other subjects, so if they’re behind in reading by the fourth grade, they quickly end up behind in all their subjects, and they often never catch up.

In 2017, only 19% of DC’s fourth graders from low-income families could read at or above grade level. Kids who are reading at or above grade level by fourth grade are four times more likely to stay in school and graduate, creating a firm foundation to be successful in life. That’s what Literacy Lab and Reading Partners exist to do.

I’m a volunteer with Reading Partners. We were due to receive $560,000 to fund 30 AmeriCorps positions in the 2019-2020 school year. That represents 20% of our budget. (more…)

“Gardening in the land of rats”

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

Can we talk about container gardens and rats? I love having a patio for the ability to small time garden in planters. I’m frustrated each spring with rats eating plants though. Has anyone found things they won’t destroy? So far here is my list of things they eat and don’t. (more…)

“we are confused, angry, and ready to fight to stop this from continuing”

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

I wanted to both let you know and ask for your help in regards to a permit for a pop-up that has somehow been granted for 70 W Street NW, after our neighborhood has fought so hard to obtain a historic district designation. It is my neighborhood’s understanding that pop-ups and any other major alterations to the facade of the homes here are illegal, and would require the permission of the historic district in order to proceed. (more…)

“Today I’m taking a whole day off of work to go to a walk-in hearing at the DMV to prove where I live, that my car isn’t actually a Volkswagen, and a stop sign doesn’t exist.”

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

I have the flip side to the recent story of an abandoned vehicle with thousands of dollars in tickets not being booted/towed for months. My car has been impounded for a week for 2 tickets. I contested one a year ago, but never received a ruling. The other I never received. Neither are legitimate: (more…)

“I have NO idea what happens once they leave.”

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

Long story short, we found out yesterday that DC Water needs to replace the sewer main on our block, beginning with the part that runs through our property. They dug up all of the grass in our front yard (including a few pics) and now they’re talking about potentially ripping up our brick walkway and likely some more of our landscaping. (more…)

“I was so genuinely hurt by this buildup of microaggressions from the white people in the neighborhood I found myself crying on the street on our way back home.”

By Prince Of Petworth

“Dear PoPville,

I live in the Forest Hills neighborhood. I’ve noticed something while walking my dog in the neighborhood. I’m a man of color with a larger dog (50/60 lbs) and I’ve noticed that when walking my sweet, friendly mutt down the street that white people go out of their way to cross the street or to avoid me entirely. At first I thought, hey maybe they think my dog isn’t friendly or maybe their dog isn’t friendly, so when approaching them, I’ll be sure to say “He’s very friendly,” but I’m almost always ignored or they say their dog isn’t nice. I wouldn’t second guess this but more often than not I notice that those same people allow their dog to meet and greet other dogs (often times bigger than mine) of white owners.

Today [yesterday], I felt was a more egregious moment. (more…)

“He has quoted us $6,500 for the job.”

By Prince Of Petworth


Photo by PoPville flickr user Josh

“Dear PoPville,

We’ve been told by our roofer that the slate mansard roof on the front/top of our Wardman-style home is in need of replacement. He has quoted us $6,500 for the job.

Given that our home is one of many Wardman-style homes in the city, I have to believe that someone has had this work done before. If so, would you be able to share how much you paid?

I’m just trying to grasp whether or not this is the going rate for such a project.”

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