D.C. lawmakers have quietly advanced a plan to break up one of the city’s largest agencies, the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, lining up a massive shift in everything from housing and construction inspections to business licensing and permitting.
The D.C. Council’s unanimous passage of a bill Tuesday tees up major reforms for one of the city’s most frequently criticized agencies — a target of derision from businesses, tenants and advocates alike for its inability to address illegal construction activities and substandard housing conditions. But the shake up still comes over the persistent objections of many business advocacy groups and Mayor Muriel Bowser, who worry the changes will bring more confusion for struggling companies and cost a boatload of money in the process.
Yet even Tuesday’s vote will not bring an end to the roughly three-year-long debate over breaking up DCRA. The council still needs to find money to fund the reorganization process, and there’s no telling if lawmakers will be able to manage that in the coming budget cycle, considering the continued Covid-19 concerns.
