LEVEL
LEVEL THEY'VE ASPIRED TO FOR 40 PLUS YEARS.
PLUS YEARS. >> JOHN HENRY, WUSA9.
>>> THE D.C. DEPARTMENT OF
CONSUMER AND REGULATORY
AFFAIRS, IN A SERIES OF REPORTS
WE TOLD YOU HOW RESIDENTS AND 4@
WORKERS SAY THE AGENCY IS
FAILING TO ENFORCE ELEVATOR
SAFETY THROUGHOUT THE CITY.
NOW A HOMEOWNER AND FORMER 4@
MANAGER SAYS DCRA IS NOT DOING
ENOUGH TO PROTECT THEM AND 4@
THEIR BUSINESSES AND HOMES TO
DEMOLISH PROPERTIES SAYING THIS
ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTION IS HARMING
THEIR LIVES 4@AND INVESTMENTS.
DELIA GONCALVES HAS OUR WUSA9
ORIGINAL.
>>
>> WE
>> WE BEGAN TO SEE SOME ISSUES WITH OUR DOOR.
WE STARTED SEEING SMALLER
THINGS HERE AND THERE, SOME
CRACKS.
CRACKS.
CRACKS. >> Reporter: JOE 4@GERSON KNEW
THE SHIFTING DOORS AND CRACKS
CRAWLING UP THE WALLS IN HIS 4@
4@LIVING ROOM WERE NOT A GOOD
SIGN.
THE
THE FLOORS ARE NO LONGER LEVEL. IT'S DAMAGE GERSON SAYS A
DEVELOPER CAUSED WHEN HE
COMPROMISED THE FOUNDATION OF 4@
HIS NORTHWEST HOME.
THAT DEVELOPER WAS RENOVATING
THE ATTACHED HOUSE RIGHT NEXT-
DOOR.
DOOR.
DOOR. >>
DOOR. >> ONCE THE BRICK IN THE FRONT
OF OUR HOUSE REALLY CRACKED, WE
STARTED TO WORRY ABOUT THE
4@
STARTED TO WORRY ABOUT THE SAFETY OF OUR HOUSE.
THAT'S WHEN DAY IN, DAY OUT
WE'RE CALLING DCRA.
I WAS WORRIED ABOUT THE SAFETY
OF MY DAUGHTER.
>> Reporter: THE DEPARTMENT OF
CONSUMER AND REGULATORY
AFFAIRS, DCRA, 4@AN IMPORTANT
AGENCY BECAUSE ITS MISSION IS
TO KEEP YOU SAFE.
GERSON
GERSON FEELS DCRA FAILED ITS MISSION TO PROTECT 4@4@HIM, HIS
FAMILY AND HIS HOME.
>> I WOULD SAY IT GOES ALL THE
WAY TO THE 4@TOP, MELINDA BOWLE
THAT'S WHO I HOLD ACCOUNTABLE.
>>
>>
>> >>
>> >> Reporter: MELINDA BOLLING,
THE DIRECTOR, IS 4@BEING CALLED
INTO THE CITY COUNCIL FOR THE
AGENCY'S LACK 4@OF OVERSIGHT. 4@
THEY4@ SAY DCRA IS NOT PROTECTI
HOMEOWNERS FROM ILLEGAL
CONSTRUCTION.
CONSTRUCTION. >>4@ IF THERE'S ILLEGAL
CONSTRUCTION GOING ON, YOU'LL
SHUT THEM DOWN REAL FAST AND
YOU GIVE THEM SPECIAL
TREATMENT.
TREATMENT. >> I AGREE WITH YOU, BUT THEY
DON'T HAVE THE SAME NAME.
THEY HAVE DIFFERENT NA4@MES.
>> PLEASE HIRE MRS. DANIELS
BECAUSE SHE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO
FIGURE THAT OUT.
>> Reporter: WE'VE BEEN TRYING
TO CONTACT YOU FOR SEVERAL
MONTHS NOW.
MONTHS NOW. THESE ARE ALL THE E-MAILS GOING
BACK 4@TO JANUARY, EARLY JANUAR
WE FINALLY CAUGHT UP WITH
DIRECTOR BOLLING AT THE COUNCIL
HEARING.
HEARING.
HEARING. SHE SAID THE AGENCY THAT SHE
TOOK OVER IN 2015 WAS PLAGUED
BY STAFF SHORTAGES, BUDGET CUTS
AND OLD TECHNOLOGY.
>> YOU'RE BASICALLY FLYING A
PLANE WHILE YOU'RE FIXING IT AT
THE 4@SAME TIME.
WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT
IMPROVEMENTS.
IMPROVEMENTS. WE'RE RESPONDING TO OU4@R
CITIZENS.
CITIZENS.
CITIZENS. >> Reporter: WHEN THEY CALL
DCRA, THEY DON'T ANSWER.
MEET ELAINE ENGELBERT.
SHE STARTED OUT 4@AS A HOUSING
INSPECTOR FOR DCRA.
BY THE TIME SHE LEFT THE
AGENCY, ENGELBERT WAS THE
ACTING MANAGER OVERSEEING AND
REVIEWING CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
AND INSPECTIONS IN THE 4@WHOLE
CITY.
CITY.
CITY. >>
CITY. >> IF SOMETHING IS WRONG, THE
WORKERS JUST SCATTER.
>> Reporter: LAST FALL THE 4@
FORMER ENFORCER SUBMITTED THIS
TESTIMONY AT A CITY COUNCIL
HEARING.
HEARING.
HEARING. SHE 4@POINT HER FINGER AT 4@MAY
BOWSER SAYING, "THERE WAS A
SHIFT IN DCRA'S MISSIO4@N, THAT
PEOPLE NO LONGER MATTERED.
GETTING THE PERMITS ISSUED AND
OUT THE DOOR 4@WAS 4@4@THE PRIO
>> COUNCIL HAS FORGOT THERE ARE
PEOPLE4@ COMING IN, CITIZENS AN
BUSINESSES COMPLAINING ABOUT 4@
ONE ASPECT OR ANOTHER OF DCRA.
>> Reporter: AFTER A YEAR OF
OVERSIGHT HEARINGS AND
COUNTLESS CITIZEN 4@COMPLAINTS,
THE D.C. COUNCIL WANTS TO BREAK
UP THE AGENCY INTO TWO
DEPARTMENTS, ONE FOR
CONSTRUCTION ENFORCEMENT, THE 4@
OTHER FOR LICENSES AND CONSUMER
PROTECTION.
PROTECTION. DIRECTOR BOLLING DISAGREES WITH
MAKING 4@THAT MOVE.
JOE GERSON BELIEVES IT'S A WIN @
FOR RESIDENTS.
FOR RESIDENTS. >> I REALLY WANT HER TO KNOW
WITH ALL THIS BUILDING THAT'S
HAPPENING IN D.C. THAT THE DCRA
IS 4@NOT THERE TO PROTECT THEM
THEIR HOUSE GETS 4@DAMAGED BY T
DEVELOPER.
DEVELOPER. DON'T EXPECT DCRA IS GOING TO
COME IN AND 4@FULFILL THEIR
MISSION BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT.
>> JOE GERSON HAD TO HIRE A
LAWYER TO HELP HIM WITH HIS 4@
BATTLE WITH DCRA.
COUNCIL CHAIR PHIL MENDELSON
BELIEVES REORGANIZING DCRA IS
STILL THE BEST WAY TO GO AND WE
DON'T PLAN TO STOP HERE.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO EXPOSE THE
CRACKS IN THIS AGENCY THAT'S
RESPONSIBLE TO