ANC Commissioner here. You can get an exemption from the vacant property status with a building permit. There are a couple problems with implementation. First,

ANC Commissioner here. You can get an exemption from the vacant property status with a building permit. There are a couple problems with implementation. First, DCRA is such a fucked agency that they widely miss out on rating properties as vacant. The property two doors down from me has been vacant for two years and I’ve reported it a couple times and they still won’t rate it vacant (and I’m an elected official). The DC Auditor released a report last year highlighting this problem, which costs DC tens of millions a year. Second, most developers will create a separate LLC for each property and they’re happy to not pay taxes and have a lien put out, etc., on the probability that they’ll be able to flip it before foreclosure happens. If they do run into problems, the LLC lets them cut their losses. DC needs to move faster and blacklist two-bit developers who do this (I have a blighted property in my district where this has happened, and the District is out of options). DC’s new short-term rental restrictions might help free up some apartments. We’ll see.