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Council committee approves report urging reforms at Department of Buildings on illegal construction
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Summary
The Committee of the Whole unanimously approved a staff report finding training, staffing and tracking gaps at the Department of Buildings and recommended measures including inspector training, increased staffing in FY27, clearer referral and tracking of repeat offenders, and KPIs to ensure timely follow-up inspections.
The Council of the District of Columbia’s Committee of the Whole unanimously approved a 27‑page staff report on illegal construction enforcement that found the Department of Buildings (DOB) is understaffed, inconsistently training inspectors and lacks processes to track repeat offenders.
Chair Phil Mendelson presented the investigation’s findings, saying committee staff determined that DOB does not adequately train illegal‑construction inspectors before they are sent into the field, is not properly resourced to handle the volume of complaints, and lacks a mechanism to refer licensed contractors to the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection for disciplinary review. The report also found that nearly half of the stop‑work orders analyzed did not include evidence of a follow‑up inspection, raising questions about DOB’s ability to track compliance.
The report lays out several concrete recommendations: develop a training curriculum for newly hired illegal‑construction inspectors that includes case studies and role play; cross‑train inspectors from other divisions; increase the number of illegal‑construction inspectors in DOB’s FY2027 budget; create a unique identification number for property owners and contractors in DOB’s system; require follow‑up inspections for unresolved infractions; and set KPIs, including a target to complete 90% of illegal‑construction inspections within seven days of receiving a complaint.
Council members who spoke in favor of the report praised its thoroughness and suggested additions. Council member Zachary Parker pressed for clearer language on proactive inspections and outreach to recurring problem areas; Mendelson agreed to add a committee action note referencing proactive enforcement discussed on page 26 of the report. Council member Brianne Nadeau highlighted the report’s recommendation to fund additional administrative law judges and staff at the Office of Administrative Hearings to address backlogs.
Mendelson moved the report for approval and the committee voted to approve it unanimously, with staff authorized to make technical and editorial changes. The committee placed the measure on the record for the forthcoming legislative agenda.
