Renting but not occupying for DCPS in-boundary residency purposes?

[Anonymous]

I love it every time this topic comes up because it makes people so mad.

Clearly based on the school numbers, many people are getting away with it.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:Hi. I'm a DC resident, but I'm paying for private school because my in-boundary school is no good and I struck out in the DCPS lottery. I'm considering renting an apartment in-boundary of a good DCPS school, which would be less expensive than what I'm paying for private school, just so we have an in-boundary address. I wouldn't move in. Maybe I would sublet, or AirBNB, if allowed, to recoup some of the rent money, or just leave it empty. Is that sort of thing kosher? It's not like would be lying about my DC residency, I pay plenty of taxes to DC, my conscience is clean.

No. Residency means you live there. DCPS can even do a home check to make sure you and your kids actually live there -- ie, eat and sleep there.

Why have you decided your "conscience is clean" before knowing the rules?

Is there a source for this? Just curious, since I've never heard this before. I know of at least one family at my kid's school who is doing this (i.e., using the address of a property they own, but which only relatives occupy currently).

They do it if there is a report of suspected boundary fraud to the principal, or if your residency documentation is incomplete or suspect.

But if they have paperwork that looks legitimate, and no one reports the family for boundary fraud, they will probably get away with it.

See something, say something. Or don't complain about it.

Does suspected boundary fraud have to be reported to the principal, or can it be reported some other way? The family I'm thinking of is extremely active at the school. I would like to assume the principal doesn't know about the boundary fraud, but I'm not sure.

You can report suspected boundary fraud to your principal, but s/he will just turn the info over to the office of the DCPS residency fraud investigators. They will inform the principal of their findings. The investigators ask for a big stack of res docs if they investigate. If the family owns the property, doesn't rent it to a lease holder, and pays DC taxes, DCPS will very likely clear them as per their rules. The fraud team is on the look out for personal vendettas. Sounds like you've got an axe to grind with this family.

PP here. I don't have a personal axe to grind; they're just difficult people within the school community. I won't go through the trouble of turning them in, but I wouldn't mind if someone else did.

Sounds like you should take your issues with these parents up with them directly, rather than complaining about them here. OP asked about renting vs. occupying for IB residency purposes, not your dislike of suspected residency cheaters you can't stand. Petty.

[Anonymous]

+1.

[Anonymous]

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I don't believe in well-off people segregating themselves in their Georgetown or Kalorama islands of privilege. I want my daughter to be exposed to a richer, more diverse social environment than she currently gets at her $4K/month private school, but I'm not willing to sacrifice the quality of her education. If I can spend $1,500 on rent instead, and send her to a good public school that I'm already paying for, I won't feel an ounce of guilt about it.

Fixed it for you: "I don't believe in well-off people segregating themselves. Except in their well-off segregated schools, which I would like my kid to attend."

Exactly. I'd add: "I don't want to downsize from my house, which is less expensive because of the "diverse social environment." Which I don't actually want to expose my daughter to, because ewww, poor/brown people. Also, if I move WOTP, I lose my ability to brag about how progressive I am."

And don't forget: "I pay income taxes, but I don't want to pay the (value-based) property taxes in the neighborhood I want my kid to go to school. High housing costs and taxes can be shouldered by lesser people than me."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:
I don't believe in well-off people segregating themselves in their Georgetown or Kalorama islands of privilege. I want my daughter to be exposed to a richer, more diverse social environment than she currently gets at her $4K/month private school, but I'm not willing to sacrifice the quality of her education. If I can spend $1,500 on rent instead, and send her to a good public school that I'm already paying for, I won't feel an ounce of guilt about it.

Fixed it for you: "I don't believe in well-off people segregating themselves. Except in their well-off segregated schools, which I would like my kid to attend."

Exactly. I'd add: "I don't want to downsize from my house, which is less expensive because of the "diverse social environment." Which I don't actually want to expose my daughter to, because ewww, poor/brown people. Also, if I move WOTP, I lose my ability to brag about how progressive I am."

And don't forget: "I pay income taxes, but I don't want to pay the (value-based) property taxes in the neighborhood I want my kid to go to school. High housing costs and taxes can be shouldered by lesser people than me."

Ok this one isn't quite fair. The OP would be paying property taxes on her gentrifier neighborhood house, and property taxes on the apartment indirectly, through her rent checks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hi. I'm a DC resident, but I'm paying for private school because my in-boundary school is no good and I struck out in the DCPS lottery. I'm considering renting an apartment in-boundary of a good DCPS school, which would be less expensive than what I'm paying for private school, just so we have an in-boundary address. I wouldn't move in. Maybe I would sublet, or AirBNB, if allowed, to recoup some of the rent money, or just leave it empty. Is that sort of thing kosher? It's not like would be lying about my DC residency, I pay plenty of taxes to DC, my conscience is clean.

No. Residency means you live there. DCPS can even do a home check to make sure you and your kids actually live there -- ie, eat and sleep there.

Why have you decided your "conscience is clean" before knowing the rules?

Is there a source for this? Just curious, since I've never heard this before. I know of at least one family at my kid's school who is doing this (i.e., using the address of a property they own, but which only relatives occupy currently).

They do it if there is a report of suspected boundary fraud to the principal, or if your residency documentation is incomplete or suspect.

But if they have paperwork that looks legitimate, and no one reports the family for boundary fraud, they will probably get away with it.

See something, say something. Or don't complain about it.

Does suspected boundary fraud have to be reported to the principal, or can it be reported some other way? The family I'm thinking of is extremely active at the school. I would like to assume the principal doesn't know about the boundary fraud, but I'm not sure.

You can report suspected boundary fraud to your principal, but s/he will just turn the info over to the office of the DCPS residency fraud investigators. They will inform the principal of their findings. The investigators ask for a big stack of res docs if they investigate. If the family owns the property, doesn't rent it to a lease holder, and pays DC taxes, DCPS will very likely clear them as per their rules. The fraud team is on the look out for personal vendettas. Sounds like you've got an axe to grind with this family.

PP here. I don't have a personal axe to grind; they're just difficult people within the school community. I won't go through the trouble of turning them in, but I wouldn't mind if someone else did.

Sounds like you should take your issues with these parents up with them directly, rather than complaining about them here. OP asked about renting vs. occupying for IB residency purposes, not your dislike of suspected residency cheaters you can't stand. Petty.

PP again. Not sure why you're getting defensive? They're boundary cheaters. It shouldn't matter why they're being reported if they're boundary cheaters. The system can then work out whether the report is valid. I responded that these are difficult, fractious people because I was asked the question. But they're listing their address as a property that they don't and haven't ever lived in--that's the main point.

[Anonymous]

People who I don't like but will send my kids to school with their kids because I want my kids to benefit by being in the classroom with their kids. But I don't like them.

[Anonymous]

whom*

[Anonymous]

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NP. You forfeit your right to complain if you're not willing to step up and report them.

[Anonymous]

DCPS investigated us last year WotP and we were cleared the next day (in 10 minutes).

The investigator showed us the complaint letter (personal info not blacked out), so we know who complained. We've had a little fun making the author squirm ("Hello! So nice to see you!") around the school from time to time.

If you don't own in-boundary real estate, I wouldn't get creative about residency, not under the current mayor. You'd be taking on a lot of stress with little to fall back on if the arrangement blew up in your face.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DCPS investigated us last year WotP and we were cleared the next day (in 10 minutes).

The investigator showed us the complaint letter (personal info not blacked out), so we know who complained. We've had a little fun making the author squirm ("Hello! So nice to see you!") around the school from time to time.

If you don't own in-boundary real estate, I wouldn't get creative about residency, not under the current mayor. You'd be taking on a lot of stress with little to fall back on if the arrangement blew up in your face.

Why were you fingered?

[Anonymous]

Note to 11:46: you never forfeit your right to complain on an anonymous message board. That's their allure.

[Anonymous]

When parents complain about address cheaters on DCUM, they invariably present the situation as though they're in command of all the facts. But they never are.

Wouldn't be surprised if the alleged address cheaters consider you a difficult person in the school community, but have the good grace to keep that thought to themselves.

OP, see the potential for whispering campaigns if your residency situation isn't above board? Not worth it for that reason alone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When parents complain about address cheaters on DCUM, they invariably present the situation as though they're in command of all the facts. But they never are.

Wouldn't be surprised if the alleged address cheaters consider you a difficult person in the school community, but have the good grace to keep that thought to themselves.

OP, see the potential for whispering campaigns if your residency situation isn't above board? Not worth it for that reason alone.

HAHAHA. Yeah, it is definitely not worth 4K a month just because some hen might whisper about you and be too chickenshit to do anything about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DCPS investigated us last year WotP and we were cleared the next day (in 10 minutes).

The investigator showed us the complaint letter (personal info not blacked out), so we know who complained. We've had a little fun making the author squirm ("Hello! So nice to see you!") around the school from time to time.

If you don't own in-boundary real estate, I wouldn't get creative about residency, not under the current mayor. You'd be taking on a lot of stress with little to fall back on if the arrangement blew up in your face.

Why were you fingered?

We separated in the middle of the school year, one of us moved to MD, and the child began moving between us. A parent who doesn't know us very well claimed we were address cheaters (took pictures of dad's MD plate car at pick up). We brought extra residency docs and the DCPS investigator cleared us on the spot, in her office. Good it happened actually, because we got the word around that we were investigated, and cleared, and our critics moved on to new targets. Not a great time in our lives but we've put it all behind us (did not divorce).