In Shaw (an historically gentrified blog)

1617 New Jersey Ave

Dear Second Rate Construction Crew,
Last night was the last straw. Shoveling glass on concrete at 2am in the morning, there is no excuse for that. And no, I wasn't the one who yelled out the window that hey, it's 2 o'clock in the morning, but I do applaud whomever did.
Sincerely,
InShaw

For about a year now the house at 1617 New Jersey Avenue, NW has been under some level of crackhead construction. The house had been gutted and at one point they completely knocked out the rear wall, yes, the whole back wall. The back wall was rebuilt with concrete blocks and covered up with stucco. Then for a while nothing.
Later, construction began again with a loud and annoying crew. Sadly the loudness didn't make them work faster. Because other projects in the neighborhood progressed at a quicker rate and went up for sale as these guys were still fooling around. Cause really, yakking on the phone to your girlfriend does not get the drywall up any faster.
As Spring turned to Summer it got worse. The loud and slow construction crew started working more and more outside the 7 to 7 rules. 7 to 7 means construction is not to start before 7AM and is supposed to end after 7PM. In the past month, the fat shirtless guy doing the 'work' would try his hand at hammering or sawing something at 10PM. Really, when it is dark and all you are going by is the alley light, building a deck is not the smartest thing. In the past month or more there have been signs that this is not this guy's primary job. Apparently there is a more important job somewhere else and he get to this house afterwards, after 7 or on the weekends. That does not bode well for whomever will live in it.
I have called the DCRA's (202) 442-STOP or 7867 number to report the illegal construction for about 2 weeks now and nothing. I've also called the cops, citing it as a noise complaint and that it is illegal construction. Once I got an operator questioning me wondering if the hammering at 10pm was actually ok. It's crap like that that makes me so unhappy with the city government.
But now I'm pissed. So looking up all the information I can on the property I find that the owner,(you can find all this at the DC Govt's website) is receiving a homestead deduction. Oh hell no. No one has been living in that house for well over a year and I suspect the folks in it before were renters. Tax fraud, nothing brings a smile to a girl's face like discovering tax fraud. Ah!
And to any poor schmuck who decides to buy this property, go over it with a fine tooth comb and a damned good inspector because it looks like corners were cut. Or if you have a choice of another house, choose the other house.

posted by Mari @ 9.9.05