Summer 2015 Public Policy Recap

It only seems like yesterday we were just firing up the grills at the start of the summer season. DCAR remained dutifully busy advocating on your behalf and we would like to show you what we have done so far. Check out our summer public policy review.

Lowering Recordation Taxes
A big tax relief could come to first-time DC home buyers should the council pass the “First-Time Homebuyer Tax Benefit Amendment Act of 2015.” The bill would cut the recordation tax rate from 1.45% to 0.75% as long as the buyers have not owned a home within the District of Columbia.

Addressing Vacant and Blighted Properties
Earlier DCAR gave testimony to the Council’s Consumer and Regulatory Affairs Committee at a public hearing on legislation called the “Nuisance Abatement Notice Act of 2015.” You can read more about it on our blog. Simply put, we pointed out that the goal of posting notice of vacant and blighted properties should be more discreet than they currently are.

CALL FOR ACTION: Housing Tax for Transportation
On Thursday, October 22, 2015, the House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee began consideration on the surface transportation reauthorization legislation. NAR strongly believes that a new tax on homeowners would prevent Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac from effectively managing their risk. Click here to learn more and add your voice.

Rat and Vermin Control
We recently came face-to-face with the first and last line of defense against the City’s rat problem. Our October 2015 Speaker Series featured Gerard Brown, Rodent and Vector Program Manager from the DC Department of Health. We covered a brief portion of the seminar in a handy blog post for your information.

The End of DC’s Massive Zoning Code Re-Write
It’s closing time for the epic saga of DC’s first zoning re-write in decades. There’s far too much to cover and that’s because the process has taken nearly eight years to complete. We particularly focused on accessory apartments, parking and alley lots.