MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                       Nyasha Smith, Secretary to the Council

               

FROM:               Phil Mendelson, Chairman

                              Councilmember Trayon White, Sr.

 

DATE:                October 13, 2022

 

RE:                       Request to Place Measures on the Agenda for October 18, 2022 Legislative Meeting

 

            In the event an Additional Legislative Meeting is scheduled for October 18, 2022, the following measure is placed on the agenda:

 

• River East at Grandview Condominium Property Tax Exemption Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2022
• River East at Grandview Condominium Property Tax Exemption Emergency Amendment Act of 2022
• River East at Grandview Condominium Property Tax Exemption Temporary Amendment Act of 2022

 

            This legislation would extend the property tax exemption for homeowners of the River East at Grandview Condominiums provided under the District’s Lower Income Homeownership Program.

 

            On August 16, 2021, engineers from the Falcon Group issued a letter to homeowners at the River East at Grandview Condominiums advising them to vacate the premises within two weeks due to uninhabitable conditions based on significant structural issues. On August 26, 2021, the Falcon Group determined that families in approximately 30 of the 46 condominium units should move out. Subsequently, homeowners of these units vacated their homes on a temporary basis. However, over one year later, the Department of Buildings (formerly DCRA), DHCD and the condominium association are still working with soil and structural experts to determine the best path forward. DHCD recently extended rental assistance for another year.

           

The District government has employed multiple assistance programs in response to the displacement of these homeowners, including exemption from property taxes related to the Talbert Street property under the District’s Lower Income Homeownership Exemption Program. The property tax exemptions obtained under the program have expired or will expire soon, and there is no indication that the displaced homeowners of the River East at Grandview Condominiums will be able to return to the property in the near future. In order to financially protect these displaced homeowners, it is desirable to approve emergency legislation to temporarily continue the tax exemption for the properties they are unable to use.