639 Farragut

[from K.]

I live on the 600 block of Farragut Street, NW. The house at 639 has been abandoned all year. Quick background: A fractious couple lived there with 2 kids. They began major excavations of the basement last year. The project was abandoned when they wouldn't pay the contractor. The debris -- including a metal I-bar, broken concrete, and lumber -- has been strewn across the backyard since. The backyard, BTW, hasn't had its grass cut all year. I have REPEATEDLY called the City about this and no one ever returns my calls.

 

The owner was busted in January 2009 by the the FBI/ATF for selling drugs. The house has been abandoned ever since.

 

Tonight, I heard banging in the house's basement. When I looked outside, people who were NOT the owners had the door off its hinges and had hauled the furnace out of the basement and into the front yard. I called 911. Although the police were quick to respond, they Let Them Go. I watched them drive off with the furnace in the back of a MD truck. I have repeatedly called the 4th District station and no one is answering their phone line.

 

I believe a bank seized the property long ago but I don't know how to find out who actually owns the title and is responsible for the house/yard upkeep.

 

Can anyone on this blog help? My neighbors and I are sick and tired of this eyesore and apparently, anyone who still has a key to the front door now has free reign to take valuables out of it.

Comments

[Lisa]

It's also easy to look up property owners and the status of tax payments at the DC Tax and Revenue website, found easily at dc.gov.

[Mark Ketcham]

My own experience with DCRA is that they are very nice people who are responsive on the phone but very poorly coordinated internally. I have been trying to get attention to an illegally constructed garage behind 508 Varnum Street, NW. DCRA fined the owners for building outside the permit but no further actions have been taken. It's been over a year and the garage which was build outside the permit and which violates both building code and zoning regulations without an approved variance still stands.

I've had my ANC rep involved, copied City Councilperson (with no response ever), among many others.

Inspection and fining seems to happen pretty easily. Further action is so far as I can tell impossible.

Good luck.

[Christopher]

I posted the link to this story on Twitter and the very responsive team at the DCRA who monitor their Twitter feed responded:

That they have scheduled an inspection for Thursday and will let me know follow-up:

http://twitter.com/dcra/status/3841419605