New Vacant Property Tax Regulations & FEES

Just got this e-mail blast from the Washington DC Association of Realtors urging us to fight Mayor Fenty's new vacant property registration fees...under the new rules, homes listed for sale or rent are NOT EXEMPT.

Starting this week, the District Council will begin hearing testimony on Mayor Fenty's Budget proposal to create a new $250-$5,000 Vacant Property Registration Fee.

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.


Now, I know that DC is struggling for funds (I've never ever gotten a speeding ticket in the 8 years I've lived in the DC area and I've gotten TWO camera tickets in April...BE CAREFUL DRIVING OUT THERE) but this is a tax on listings in a city where a lot of people are already losing money on their sold properties. I understand the city wanting punish owners who leave properties vacant to become unsightly rundown houses with overgrown lawns, but if someone's house is on the market (and it sometimes will take over a year or two to sell unfortunately) it's not fair to require a fee or for them to take a tenant.