H Street Apartment Building Appeals Apartel-Related Revocation of C of O

• August 21, 2018

by Nena Perry-Brown

An apartment complex just off the H Street Corridor has been the subject of increased attention this summer for suspiciously hotel-like circumstances — and it appears that those revelations were not without consequences.

On June 21st, the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) Zoning Administrator posted a Revocation Notice regarding the Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) for the 378-unit apartment building. Now, Station House is appealing the decision.

Station House has filed an application with the Board of Zoning Adjustment to appeal the C of O revocation. The revocation would be effective 60 days after issuance, unless the short-term rental uses were ameliorated or the owner applied for a C of O which would permit short-term rentals.

According to the application, the sole issue was the 26 apartments leased by Churchill Corporate Services, which offers furnished "corporate" housing. The Notice to Revoke cites a "partnership" between Station House and Churchill, which the former argues is an "erroneous" conclusion which invalidates the notice.

The applicant also acknowledges that Churchill was in violation of its leases by listing units at the apartment complex as available for short-term rentals of fewer than 30 days. As a result, the applicant states that the property management, administered by Roseland Management Company, sent 30-day Notices to Correct the Lease Violation for the aforementioned 26 units.

Subsequent negotiations with Churchill led the latter to vacate nine of the units it leased as of August 17th. An additional seven units are expected to be voluntarily vacated as of October 3rd, leaving only 10 units at the building in Churchill's possession. 

This article originally published at https://dc.urbanturf.com/articles/blog/station-house-appeals-revocation-of-c-of-o/14342