DC apartment residents: If you have something to say to elected leaders about security in your building, now is a good time to do so.
The DC Council Committee of the Whole, and the Judiciary and Public Safety Committee, are holding a joint hearing on December 10th on legislation drafted and presented to the Council by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG).
The Secure Apartments for Everyone (SAFE) Act would expand the existing law governing so-called nuisance properties to include any building where dangerous or violent crimes have been committed. While many apartment buildings would meet that criteria, they are excluded under the current law, because as the OAG explained in May, “lawsuits must also show that the properties are having an ‘adverse effect’ on the neighborhood as a result.” Bill 25-918 lays out a process for court-ordered security upgrades and inspections by the Department of Buildings. Fines could be levied if landlords do not address security issues within a certain period of time.
For residents and others who’ve been affected by criminal activity in apartment buildings, the hearing will be their first chance to tell their stories formally to the Council and for the record. To testify at the hearing, sign up here by 5 p.m. on December 6th. You can also submit written testimony here by 5 p.m. on December 20th. That, too, will become part of the public record.
The OAG’s Damon King gave a presentation on the SAFE Act at ANC 3F’s November meeting:
ANCs 3F, 3C and 3/4G previously called on the Council Committees on Housing, Health, and Facilities and Family Services to hold a joint hearing on apartment building safety issues, following the deaths of two young children connected to the Sedgwick and Connecticut House apartments.