DCBIA News

DCBIA is pleased to report that after several meetings with Department of Consumer & Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) senior officials, the following changes have been made to the Master Tradesman Bulletin:

1. Master Tradesman only has to be onsite after two consecutive failures of a rough-in inspection for specific scope of work under the trade permit.

2. DCRA inspector may require Master Tradesman to be onsite at subsequent inspections due to excessive or repeated code violations including, but not limited to unsafe work.

Read the new Bulletin:  https://dcra.dc.gov/node/1309626  

The Bulletin goes into effect on May 1 to allow time for all parties to follow new procedures.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

A previously issued DCRA Administrative Bulletin required permit holders to have a Master Tradesman on site at every inspection. Upon this bulletin being circulated, DCBIA's Agency Working Group immediately met with DCRA's Chief Building Inspector Lynn Underwood to share DCBIA's strong concerns with this action and explain the unintended consequences this order would have on the entire industry.

DCRA's goal to address the concern of illegal uses of these licenses by bad actors was necessary given that they are the city's regulatory body; however, as DCBIA noted in subsequent meetings, the original Bulletin was not a solution. It would only stop development. A subset of DCBIA's Agency Working Group, Associated Builders & Contractors, and other stakeholders met since March to address their concerns while ensuring DCRA continues to focus on the bad actors and not create bad policy for the entire industry.