This property was a large home used as a rooming house for years by the same family. The property was the subject of numerous drug complaints from the neighbors. Drug dealing went on at all hours of the night, both in the hallways of the building as well as on the surrounding sidewalks and streets. Much of this activity was generated by persons living in the boarding house. This had gone on for years. The original owner died and the property was transferred to his son, with no improvement in the situation. The U.S. Attorney's Office first became involved in April, 2003, in an effort to abate the nuisance created by the property. Our office contacted the landlord and persuaded him to evict many of the problem tenants. Ultimately, working with local neighborhood activists, the Neighborhood Services Coordinator, the CORE team and various District of Columbia government agencies, the Nuisance Abatement Team caused the revocation of Big Blue’s Certificate of Occupancy. Consequently, the property can no longer operate as a rooming house. All the tenants have now moved out of the secure building and the nuisance has abated. The owner plans to renovate Big Blue.
A neighbor living near Big Blue states that the drug activity has ceased and there is no longer any nuisance activity at the address. The neighbor also states that he is happy that the government was finally able to "take care of the problem" and additionally states that he hopes the owner will sell the building quickly so it can be renovated.
This property was a large home used as a rooming house for years by the same family. The property was the subject of numerous drug complaints from the neighbors. Drug dealing went on at all hours of the night, both in the hallways of the building as well as on the surrounding sidewalks and streets. Much of this activity was generated by persons living in the boarding house. This had gone on for years. The original owner died and the property was transferred to his son, with no improvement in the situation. The U.S. Attorney's Office first became involved in April, 2003, in an effort to abate the nuisance created by the property. Our office contacted the landlord and persuaded him to evict many of the problem tenants. Ultimately, working with local neighborhood activists, the Neighborhood Services Coordinator, the CORE team and various District of Columbia government agencies, the Nuisance Abatement Team caused the revocation of Big Blue’s Certificate of Occupancy. Consequently, the property can no longer operate as a rooming house. All the tenants have now moved out of the secure building and the nuisance has abated. The owner plans to renovate Big Blue.