Rowhouse is a wreck, what can we do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have the same issue with a townhome in our neighborhood in Burke, VA. The home hasn't been inhabited in YEARS and it is literally falling apart. Water and power were turned off years ago and the yard is overgrown, fences are falling apart etc. It looks like it needs to be torn down. Our HOA is generally very strict and most of us receive notifications or even fines for the smallest infractions (for example having three flower pots instead of only two pots per HOA regulations). But somehow this home is falling through the cracks. A few neighbors have already called the HOA to report the issue, but nothing has been done. I'm sure there are vermin in and around the townhome by now.

Who else could we contact?

That is insane and defeats the point of having an HOA at all. Does your HOA have meetings? Can you get on the meeting agenda or bring a lot of people who agree with you to raise the issue then?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have the same issue with a townhome in our neighborhood in Burke, VA. The home hasn't been inhabited in YEARS and it is literally falling apart. Water and power were turned off years ago and the yard is overgrown, fences are falling apart etc. It looks like it needs to be torn down. Our HOA is generally very strict and most of us receive notifications or even fines for the smallest infractions (for example having three flower pots instead of only two pots per HOA regulations). But somehow this home is falling through the cracks. A few neighbors have already called the HOA to report the issue, but nothing has been done. I'm sure there are vermin in and around the townhome by now.

Who else could we contact?

That is insane and defeats the point of having an HOA at all. Does your HOA have meetings? Can you get on the meeting agenda or bring a lot of people who agree with you to raise the issue then?

I agree. This is especially troubling in a TH community because at least row houses are structural distinct. Most of these townhouse communities are built as one structure separated by fire barriers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have the same issue with a townhome in our neighborhood in Burke, VA. The home hasn't been inhabited in YEARS and it is literally falling apart. Water and power were turned off years ago and the yard is overgrown, fences are falling apart etc. It looks like it needs to be torn down. Our HOA is generally very strict and most of us receive notifications or even fines for the smallest infractions (for example having three flower pots instead of only two pots per HOA regulations). But somehow this home is falling through the cracks. A few neighbors have already called the HOA to report the issue, but nothing has been done. I'm sure there are vermin in and around the townhome by now.

Who else could we contact?

OK now that is insanity.

There should still be some sort of local code enforcement that supersedes the HOA. Have they been contacted?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you on the Hill? Are you in the Historic area? You can ask it for help.

Yes to hill, but outside historic district

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you on the Hill? Are you in the Historic area? You can ask it for help.

Yes to hill, but outside historic district

https://311.dc.gov/citizen/servicetypes/list

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. It’s infested with rats and mice. No thank you.

But it’s ok for someone else to do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. It’s infested with rats and mice. No thank you.

But it’s ok for someone else to do it.

Call the authorities. You have an active rat infestation that is a danger to the whole neighborhood because rats travel and spread disease widely. This situation screams for remediation.

[Anonymous]

Report the home as vacant and blighted. This increases the tax bill for the owner and encourages the owner to sell, rent, and/or improve. If the owner doesn’t pay, property goes to tax auction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. It’s infested with rats and mice. No thank you.

But it’s ok for someone else to do it.

Ridiculous. Why would the OP go onto someone else’s property and clean it up. And have someone complain that she’s trespassing?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. It’s infested with rats and mice. No thank you.

But it’s ok for someone else to do it.

Ridiculous. Why would the OP go onto someone else’s property and clean it up. And have someone complain that she’s trespassing?

Is it trespassing if the home itself is being squatted-in? I’m not sure squatters can really complain about trespassers!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have the same issue with a townhome in our neighborhood in Burke, VA. The home hasn't been inhabited in YEARS and it is literally falling apart. Water and power were turned off years ago and the yard is overgrown, fences are falling apart etc. It looks like it needs to be torn down. Our HOA is generally very strict and most of us receive notifications or even fines for the smallest infractions (for example having three flower pots instead of only two pots per HOA regulations). But somehow this home is falling through the cracks. A few neighbors have already called the HOA to report the issue, but nothing has been done. I'm sure there are vermin in and around the townhome by now.

Who else could we contact?

OK now that is insanity.

There should still be some sort of local code enforcement that supersedes the HOA. Have they been contacted?

Yes, they have been contacted numerous times, but nothing has been done. They are not telling us what is going on with this home. At this point, it looks like it needs to be torn down. I'm fortunate that we don't live close by. The townhome is actually on another street. I can't imagine what the neighbors must think. It would be impossible to sell living right next to this dump. I wonder if we could report it to the county? If anyone has ideas, please let me know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There is a home on our block and we know the person living there is a squatter.

The windows in the attic have broken glass and it’s causing neighbors homes to get infested with squirrels in the walls and an increasing rat problem.


What can we do within our rights to have this problem addressed?

The yard is very overgrown even for a small DC rowhouse lawn.

He is a nice person, and we don’t want to displace him, but whoever owns the house is completely negligent. I’m honestly not sure why they have not sold to a developer yet.

Why can't you hire a contractor to exterminate the yard, have a landscaper clean it up and maintain the yard, replace the windows, and make other repairs. Be sure to check the heating as the furnace likely needs replacing. Be proactive and have that replaced along with the hot water heater.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There is a home on our block and we know the person living there is a squatter.

The windows in the attic have broken glass and it’s causing neighbors homes to get infested with squirrels in the walls and an increasing rat problem.


What can we do within our rights to have this problem addressed?

The yard is very overgrown even for a small DC rowhouse lawn.

He is a nice person, and we don’t want to displace him, but whoever owns the house is completely negligent. I’m honestly not sure why they have not sold to a developer yet.

Why can't you hire a contractor to exterminate the yard, have a landscaper clean it up and maintain the yard, replace the windows, and make other repairs. Be sure to check the heating as the furnace likely needs replacing. Be proactive and have that replaced along with the hot water heater.

New paint and a roof are probably a good idea too.

[Anonymous]

Call DCRA vacant/blighted property line
ANC commissioner
Ward 6 MOCRS
look on the OTR website and see if they're claiming a homestead deduction and report it if they are.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have the same issue with a townhome in our neighborhood in Burke, VA. The home hasn't been inhabited in YEARS and it is literally falling apart. Water and power were turned off years ago and the yard is overgrown, fences are falling apart etc. It looks like it needs to be torn down. Our HOA is generally very strict and most of us receive notifications or even fines for the smallest infractions (for example having three flower pots instead of only two pots per HOA regulations). But somehow this home is falling through the cracks. A few neighbors have already called the HOA to report the issue, but nothing has been done. I'm sure there are vermin in and around the townhome by now.

Who else could we contact?

OK now that is insanity.

There should still be some sort of local code enforcement that supersedes the HOA. Have they been contacted?

Yes, they have been contacted numerous times, but nothing has been done. They are not telling us what is going on with this home. At this point, it looks like it needs to be torn down. I'm fortunate that we don't live close by. The townhome is actually on another street. I can't imagine what the neighbors must think. It would be impossible to sell living right next to this dump. I wonder if we could report it to the county? If anyone has ideas, please let me know.

Yes, you should absolutely report it to the county.