WDCAR: Washington, DC Association of REALTORS®: Public Policy

Washington, DC Association of REALTORS® - a state level association

PUBLIC POLICY

Call to Action!
Oppose the Vacant Property Registration Fee
(a.k.a. Listing Tax)

April 14, 2010

Mayor Fenty has proposed the creation of a $250-$5,000 Vacant Property Registration Fee. In the Mayor's proposed fiscal year 2010 Budget Support Emergency Act, which could be voted on as early as the week of April 19 without a hearing, and in his proposed fiscal year 2011 budget, if a property is unoccupied for 30 days, the owner is REQUIRED to file a vacant property application with DCRA and PAY a fee for that privilege.

The initial registration fee will be $250.
The renewal registration fee for the first renewal year will be $500.
The renewal registration fee for the second renewal year will be $1,000.
The renewal registration fee for the third renewal year will be $2,500.
The renewal registration fee for the fourth renewal year will be $5,000.

The revenue created by this potential fee is staggering - almost $8 million in just over 4 years.

The following existing exemptions WOULD BE ELIMINATED in the Mayor's proposals:

For Sale properties, For Rent properties, newly-constructed properties, properties under active construction, properties that are subject to probate, and properties subject to fire, flood, or other casualty.

Only properties owned by a foreign government, the United States' government, and the District government would be exempt from this fee.

REALTORS^® and their clients need to be able to list their properties without having to worry about paying a Vacant Property Registration - in effect A LISTING TAX. Contact a DC Councilmember today. Tell them:

NO to a Vacant Property Registration Fee
NO to a de facto Listing Tax
NO to the District grabbing more money from property owners

E-mail all Councilmembers at: dccouncil@dccouncil.us

To contact individual Councilmembers:

Council Chair Vince Gray: vgray@dccouncil.us - 202-724-8032

At-Large Councilmember Michael Brown: mbrown@dccouncil.us - 202-724-8105

At-Large Councilmember Kwame Brown: kbrown@dccouncil.us - 202-724-8174

At-Large Councilmember David Catania: dcatania@dccouncil.us - 202-724-7772

At-Large Councilmember Phil Mendelson: pmendelson@dccouncil.us - 202-724-8064

Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham: jgraham@dccouncil.us - 202-724-8181

Ward 2 Councilmember Jack Evans: jevans@dccouncil.us - 202-724-8058

Ward 3 Councilmember Mary Cheh: mcheh@dccouncil.us - 202-724-8062

Ward 4 Councilmember Muriel Bowser: mbowser@dccouncil.us - 202-724-8052

Ward 5 Councilmember Harry Thomas, Jr.: hthomas@dccouncil.us - 202-724-8028

Ward 6 Councilmember Tommy Wells: twells@dccouncil.us - 202-724-8072

Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander: yalexander@dccouncil.us - 202-724-8068

Ward 8 Councilmember Marion Barry: mbarry@dccouncil.us - 202-724-8045

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