Why does it take so damn long to get anything approved in DC?

[Anonymous]

Whether it's a school playground or a home addition, why does it take so damn long to get a permit? Corruption? Volume? Really just want to understand the glacial pace.

[Anonymous]

Incompetence at DCRA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Incompetence at DCRA.

Sooo incompetence. I used to try to defend the city, but I swear, it feels worse than it ever did.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Incompetence at DCRA.

Sooo incompetence. I used to try to defend the city, but I swear, it feels worse than it ever did.

PP here. I meant sooo incompetent!

[Anonymous]

Try starting a small business that is need of approvals and inspections from DC government officials...

[Anonymous]

DCRA has gone way downhill in the last two years. It was actually pretty good during the Grey years.

[Anonymous]

Way too many opinionated and crazy residents.
We own a beach house elsewhere and things get proposed and built there within a month or so. In DC the same projects take years because the residents battle it out.

[Anonymous]

Incompetence and corruption.

[Anonymous]

i feel like most of the people who are answering don't actually deal with DCRA very much. generally speaking, i much prefer to work with DCRA compared with other neighboring jurisdictions (moco, pg, arlington, alexandria, ffc,etc). for homeowners doing small projects, there is a Homeowners' Center that will give you special attention and assistance, and these folks are able to quietly fasttrack your application. there are also lots of talented expediters in the city who can do this stuff for you. generally in my experience, people run into delays because they didn't follow directions or don't respond directly to reviewers' comments.

[Anonymous]

That was not my experience, PP. The incompetence of one person at the Homeowners' Center threw me into the "regular" process for a small renovation. It took 7 visits to get the permits/approvals I needed (and I wound up ignoring that the didn't ever get the last one.) Each time I thought I had jumped through all the hoops, more were revealed. It was insanity. Also, I paid an extra $2000 for private inspectors because my contractor said it would take months longer to get all the necessary post-work inspections through DCRA. Absurd.

[Anonymous]

If you are Douglas Jemal, you go to the front of the line and everything you ask for is delivered the day you ask.

Behind the scenes, he obviously knows who to bribe and with what (cash, political favors, etc).

[Anonymous]

But you have a walkable neighborhood.

[Anonymous]

It's corruption. Hire an "expediter" and your paperwork goes through much faster. It sucks, but it's true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:i feel like most of the people who are answering don't actually deal with DCRA very much. generally speaking, i much prefer to work with DCRA compared with other neighboring jurisdictions (moco, pg, arlington, alexandria, ffc,etc). for homeowners doing small projects, there is a Homeowners' Center that will give you special attention and assistance, and these folks are able to quietly fasttrack your application. there are also lots of talented expediters in the city who can do this stuff for you. generally in my experience, people run into delays because they didn't follow directions or don't respond directly to reviewers' comments.

Are you kidding? DCRA is the worst. The only time I was impressed was for the info I needed for the DC TAG program, which requires that you get your certified tax records from DCRA. Anything else - run like hell.

PP - have you ever tried to get a permit from DCRA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Way too many opinionated and crazy residents.
We own a beach house elsewhere and things get proposed and built there within a month or so. In DC the same projects take years because the residents battle it out.

Your beach house likely isn't anywhere near the beach.