Testimony: Office of Inspector General Report on the Department of Buildings Establishment Act of 2019
Children’s Law Center sees DC residents daily whose children’s health are impacted by the dangerous or unhealthy housing conditions in their home. Even when DCRA comes to their home and finds problems, there is no enforcement and nothing changes for them. Because DC residents deserve an effective government system of inspection and enforcement, we support breaking up DCRA.
CLC Senior Supervising Attorney Kathy Zeisel testified in support of B23-91, the Department of Buildings Establishment Act of 2019. She noted that although DCRA failed to provide sufficient data for the OIG to properly assess the information they need to determine if a breakup is necessary, DCRA’s longstanding failures make it clear that the agency will not fix itself. Instead, a proactive Department of Buildings, focused on tenant protections, would increase the professionalization of all housing inspectors and ensure that residents are living in healthy and safe housing. This is an exciting opportunity to create an agency that truly protects our city’s vulnerable tenants.
Read the full testimony here: