Reporting vacant buildings, illegal construction in D.C. just got easier

If a business, resident, or visitor of Washington, D.C., wants to report a vacant property or illegal construction, there is an easier process to do so. Recently, the Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) streamlined their services in order to make the process faster and easier.

Now, all one has to do is report the building through the District’s 311 system, which will also allow users to be able to receive status updates and notifications as the request is processed. Through the 311 system, users can call 311, text DC311, use the DC311 mobile app, tweet @311DCgov, or use online live chat during standard business hours.

To know what may qualify as a vacant property, DCRA says that along with appearing vacant, it could have excessive vegetation and or graffiti. For illegal construction, this can be known if construction is done without a permit or if there is work before 7 a.m. or after 7 p.m. on Mondays through Saturdays, any time on Sundays, or on holidays.