flexiblefullpage
billboard
interstitial1
catfish1
Currently Reading

D.C. Council passes bill to reduce number of blighted properties

Codes and Standards

D.C. Council passes bill to reduce number of blighted properties

The new legislation reduces the amount of time a vacant property can qualify for a lower tax rate.


By Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor | December 2, 2016

Pixabay Public Domain

The Washington D.C. Council recently passed legislation that will make it more expensive for owners to hold vacant or blighted property.

The Vacant Property Enforcement Act of 2016 reduces the maximum amount of time a vacant property can qualify for an exemption from higher vacancy tax rates. It also closes a loophole that allows continuous renewal of construction permits to qualify for tax exemptions, and require owners of vacant properties to prove they are no longer subject to the higher tax rates.

"The District has a substantial number of vacant properties, many of which are poorly maintained,” the bill report says. "Property owners may keep their properties vacant or fail to maintain them because they expect property values to rise over time. Poorly maintained and vacant properties can damage surrounding communities by being eyesores, by serving a venue for drug use and by providing a home for rodents or other animals. The net effect is to reduce the feeling of a cohesive community and depress surrounding property values."

The legislation reduces the time an owner can claim an exemption from higher taxes because of construction to one year for residential properties and to two years for commercial properties. Fines for failing to comply with city property regulations will rise from $1,000 to $5,000.

Related Stories

| Nov 26, 2014

Colorado must fix construction defects law, Denver Post says

Colorado's “vexing construction defects law” has hampered the building of new condominiums in the state, according to an editorial in the Denver Post.

| Nov 26, 2014

Cheyenne, Wyoming City Council kills downtown design standards proposal

The Cheyenne, Wyoming City Council voted down a measure that would have implemented design standards for new construction and building additions downtown.

| Nov 26, 2014

ASTM International develops first product category rules for asphalt roofing industry

The Asphalt Roofing Manufacturers Association (ARMA) and ASTM International have developed Product Category Rules (PCR) for asphalt roofing in North America.

| Nov 26, 2014

International Green Construction Code will include option for outcome-based approach

The outcome-based approach requires the building owner to provide the building’s utility bills for a 12-month period within three years. 

| Nov 20, 2014

Pentagon is reviewing hospital construction standards

An independent review panel of military specialists met with healthcare leaders Nov. 12 to consider whether construction standards for medical centers should be strengthened to align with industry best practices.

| Nov 20, 2014

ConsensusDocs releases first standard agreement for commissioning contracting

The new standard contract provides a contractual vehicle for owners to save significant money from operation and maintenance costs regarding energy performance.

| Nov 20, 2014

Revamped zoning is transforming several New Jersey downtowns

The zoning policy shift could produce the biggest transformation of North New Jersey’s downtowns since the arrival of malls pulled shoppers away from town centers in the 1960s and 1970s.

| Nov 20, 2014

ANSI approves 2015 Wood-Frame Construction Manual standard

The American Wood Council's 2015 “Wood-Frame Construction Manual for One- and Two-Family Dwellings” (WFCM ) has been approved as an American National Standard by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

| Nov 17, 2014

AAMA releases new blast hazard mitigation specifications for vertical fenestration systems

This document provides a guide for manufacturers, architects/specifiers, contractors, and building owners for specifying types of systems and services to meet the requirements of blast hazard mitigation.

| Nov 17, 2014

National Roofing Contractors Assn. offers guide for LEED v4 provisions

National Roofing Contractors Association has released LEED v4: Roofing-related Provisions, a document that examines the roofing-related provisions of LEED v4.

boombox1
boombox2
native1

More In Category




halfpage1

Most Popular Content

  1. 2021 Giants 400 Report
  2. Top 150 Architecture Firms for 2019
  3. 13 projects that represent the future of affordable housing
  4. Sagrada Familia completion date pushed back due to coronavirus
  5. Top 160 Architecture Firms 2021