DC Council to Consider Bill Redefining Blighted Properties
✉️ Want to forward this article? Click here.
Although the high volume of development in the District may make it appear that vacant property is scarce, there are still plenty of blocks throughout the city with buildings commonly thought of as "vacant and blighted". Now, following last year's revelation that vacant and blighted properties were not being properly identified and taxed as such, the DC Council is considering a bill that will reexamine what classifies these properties.
The “Blighted Property Redevelopment Amendment Act of 2018”, introduced in February, would essentially give owners of vacant properties an opportunity to remedy the conditions that would put it in the "blighted" category. If owners board up doors, windows and other egresses, or if temporary coverings are removed as the owner applies for a building permit that would address renovation of those openings, the property cannot be identified as "blighted".
Typically, a building in the District is considered "vacant" if left unoccupied for more than thirty consecutive days and is considered "blighted" if allowed to deteriorate; both classifications trigger additional property taxes, with the "blighted" designation commanding more severe penalties.
story continues below
loading...story continues above
If passed, the bill could avoid burdening property owners of less means and could prevent the effects of the predatory lien system that famously led to hundreds of properties being seized due to the accumulation of exorbitant fees years ago. On the other hand, the question of whether the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs has been properly managing vacant and blighted properties throughout the city is partially why a bill is still pending to split the agency in two.
A public hearing on the blighted property bill, along with another previously-introduced bill to provide restitution to secondhand victims of substandard home renovations, will be held on Thursday, July 12th.
See other articles related to: blighted properties, dc council, vacant buildings, vacant houses
This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/dc-council-to-discuss-bill-redefining-blighted-properties/14200.
Most Popular... This Week • Last 30 Days • Ever
This article discusses the variety of rental restrictions that may exist in condomini... read »
The new project is just the latest affordable development to move forward in DC.... read »
The new plans for the development along 11th Street continue to move forward.... read »
In the spring of 2023, the Arlington County Board voted unanimously to approve allowi... read »
The new development, designed by KGD Architecture, would take the place of a two-stor... read »
- Understanding Rental Restrictions in Condominiums
- 11-Story, 46-Unit Development Pitched For A Pair Of Downtown DC Rowhouses
- Plans Filed For 65-Unit Affordable Development In U Street Corridor
- Court Decision Overturns Missing Middle Ordinance in Arlington
- Jair Lynch Pitches 110-Unit Affordable Development Along Columbia Pike
DC Real Estate Guides
Short guides to navigating the DC-area real estate market
We've collected all our helpful guides for buying, selling and renting in and around Washington, DC in one place. Start browsing below!
First-Timer Primers
Intro guides for first-time home buyers
Unique Spaces
Awesome and unusual real estate from across the DC Metro