Is this residency fraud?

[Anonymous]

Can you move into that condo and have your mother at your current residence?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is boundary fraud, not residency fraud.

It is not clear that there is such a crime as 'boundary fraud.' In order for fraud to exist, someone has to be defrauded, they have to lose something of value. DCPS loses nothing of value when you enroll in a school other than the one you're entitled to. Your child is entitled to a DCPS education, and they are required to provide it. In order for them to argue that fraud has occurred they would have to argue that the value of a DCPS education in different schools is different. I don't think that's a path they want to go down in court.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is boundary fraud, not residency fraud.

It is not clear that there is such a crime as 'boundary fraud.' In order for fraud to exist, someone has to be defrauded, they have to lose something of value. DCPS loses nothing of value when you enroll in a school other than the one you're entitled to. Your child is entitled to a DCPS education, and they are required to provide it. In order for them to argue that fraud has occurred they would have to argue that the value of a DCPS education in different schools is different. I don't think that's a path they want to go down in court.

If DCPS finds out you are doing this, they won't prosecute you, but they will make your child enroll in his/her IB school.

[Anonymous]

I agree it's not "fraud" -- certainly not residency fraud, as you live in the District -- but its' a violation of the boundary rules for attending your local school.

If you could let the kids sleep overnight with grandma a couple of days per week, I think there's no way the city would care about attempting to enforce the rule.

[Anonymous]

It is NOT Residency Fraud - Where you lay your head is your own business (sleep at the condo half the time and have a room if it makes you feel better). If you PAY DC Taxes (2x in this case), register to vote in DC, the condo is your mailing address and decide you want to make the condo your primary address AND DO NOT rent it out you are not committing Residency fraud. I know plenty of consultants that spend more time on the road than at their condos or friends who are always at their partner's home. People are just jealous that you can afford to have two properties.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Whoa, I guess it's unanimously fraud of some kind, but less bothersome to people? Thanks, I guess I'll have to come up with a different solution.

[Anonymous]

If you claim the homestead exemption on the condo, create a bedroom for the child at the condo and have your mother as a baby sitter with overnights, you can claim the condo is your domicile because your stuff is there and you are declaring that you intend to go back there at some point. People's plans can change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is boundary fraud, not residency fraud.

It is not clear that there is such a crime as 'boundary fraud.' In order for fraud to exist, someone has to be defrauded, they have to lose something of value. DCPS loses nothing of value when you enroll in a school other than the one you're entitled to. Your child is entitled to a DCPS education, and they are required to provide it. In order for them to argue that fraud has occurred they would have to argue that the value of a DCPS education in different schools is different. I don't think that's a path they want to go down in court.

If DCPS finds out you are doing this, they won't prosecute you, but they will make your child enroll in his/her IB school.

No they won't. Just collect a good stack of residency docs tied to the condo, particularly income tax filings and driver's license. Keep the arrangement under wraps. Don't tell people, including friends and family, how you got access to the school (let them assume that you lotteried in or whatever). Also make sure that your child spends time and the condo, staying over with grandma regularly. If you get investigated (very unlikely), you turn in your paperwork to OSSE and they clear you. Worst case, you switch houses with grandma until things blow over, though I can't see it coming to that. Don't sweat it, PP. You pay plenty in taxes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is NOT Residency Fraud - Where you lay your head is your own business (sleep at the condo half the time and have a room if it makes you feel better). If you PAY DC Taxes (2x in this case), register to vote in DC, the condo is your mailing address and decide you want to make the condo your primary address AND DO NOT rent it out you are not committing Residency fraud. I know plenty of consultants that spend more time on the road than at their condos or friends who are always at their partner's home. People are just jealous that you can afford to have two properties.

+1 to this. You're the owner of both houses. You are paying all the taxes and mortgages. You sleep wherever you want, no one will know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you claim the homestead exemption on the condo, create a bedroom for the child at the condo and have your mother as a baby sitter with overnights, you can claim the condo is your domicile because your stuff is there and you are declaring that you intend to go back there at some point. People's plans can change.

Better yet, t be on the safe side, don't claim homestead exception at either property, just suck in the few hundred dollars you'll lose annually as your school fees. You don't have to claim homestead exception. Homestead exception can be looked up on DC property tax record by busybodies who may hassle you, unlike income tax filings. Be smart, don't give vigilante parents the ammunition.

[Anonymous]

Fraud. Move in there, let your mother live in your house. Move out of there if school allows you to stay. Not sure if they do it anymore. We were able to stay. School did not ask where we moved. I offered up this information. We had moved 3 blocks only. Answer to be allowed to stay came fast and through e-mail even though it was becoming one of the most crowded DCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is NOT Residency Fraud - Where you lay your head is your own business (sleep at the condo half the time and have a room if it makes you feel better). If you PAY DC Taxes (2x in this case), register to vote in DC, the condo is your mailing address and decide you want to make the condo your primary address AND DO NOT rent it out you are not committing Residency fraud. I know plenty of consultants that spend more time on the road than at their condos or friends who are always at their partner's home. People are just jealous that you can afford to have two properties.

+1 to this. You're the owner of both houses. You are paying all the taxes and mortgages. You sleep wherever you want, no one will know.

+100, keep a low profile and cruise on with your chin up. Plenty of your hard-earned dollars go to the DC govt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Fraud. Move in there, let your mother live in your house. Move out of there if school allows you to stay. Not sure if they do it anymore. We were able to stay. School did not ask where we moved. I offered up this information. We had moved 3 blocks only. Answer to be allowed to stay came fast and through e-mail even though it was becoming one of the most crowded DCPS.

Ignore, sleep where you want. The condo will be a family property, not rented, no lease holder. You won't be breaking any law. To be safe, have your name on the condo lease with mom's. Make sure the paper trail is solid and enjoy the better school.

[Anonymous]

+100, nobody's business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Technically fraud, but as a taxpayer, I wouldn't really take much issue with it. You're paying taxes.

Where's the fraud? The rules on DCPS residency don't state that a child has to sleep somewhere a certain % of the nights in the year to have by-right access to an in-boundary school. That's the case is some upscale jurisdictions, e.g, tony suburbs of Boston and NYC, but not in DC.
Residency in DC is all about residency docs and where one rents, owns and pays taxes. No lease holder, family property, no fraud.