Reporting vacant or blighted houses

Overgrown grass. Broken windows. Boarded up entrances. Vacant and blighted properties aren't just an eyesore they can also affect the quality of life, property value and even safety of both you and your neighbors.

In DC, the DC Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) manages the Vacant Building Enforcement Unit (VBE) which responds to complaints, making a determination of occupancy status through surveys. VBE will reach out to owners of properties for which there is a complaint- hopefully to prompt them to do something!- and maintains a list of properties that have been vacant for 30 days or more (you can see the list here). This list is then used by the Office of Tax & Revenue in reclassifying properties to higher property tax rates (Class 3: $5/$100 assessed value; Class 4: $10/$100 assessed value).  

If you need to report a vacant or blighted property, you can contact VBE directly at 202-442-8947. Any information you can share about the property is helpful, such as:

• when the home become vacant

• why the home become vacant (if known)

• any illegal use or activity at the property

• any openings that allow access into the building

• the general condition of the home

While it's important to report vacant and blighted homes in your neighborhood and surrounding communities, be aware that some homes are exempt from vacant building enforcement. This includes:

• homes actively permitted for construction

• homes actively marketed for sale or rent

• homes under probate proceedings or for which the title is the subject of litigation

• possibly a temporary exemption if the home is the subject of a pending application for development that requires approval from various commissions (zoning, historic preservation, etc.) 

For more information on the reporting process or to talk more about real estate in your neighborhood, contact District Roots.

PC: Greater Greater Washington