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Bill to help DC homeowners hurt by bad developers closer to becoming law

The change comes after a years-long investigation by WUSA9 into the former DC Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs.

WASHINGTON — A bill to help homeowners hurt by bad developers is one step closer to becoming law. The DC Council will vote on the bill Tuesday in its final session before the new year.

The change comes after a years-long investigation into the former D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) by WUSA9. We have talked to many homeowners over the years who have complained about bad developers in the District who are in communities destroying homes. 

Over the course of our investigation, many have told us the developers are uninsured contractors who cause damage to their homes. They only find out afterward that the contractors don't have liability insurance. That means the homeowners end up stuck with the damage, and the bill on top of that. 

The best example of this is the story of Mamie Preston. We first introduced you to her in 2019, two years after uninsured contractors working in the rowhouse next to hers compromised her home's safety.

   

The crew, which received a permit from the city illegally dug under her home's foundation. 

After a long legal battle, developer Todd Ragimov was ordered to pay Preston $1.5 million in damages.

Now, this proposed legislation would require contractors to have liability insurance before starting a project. It also delays the application process.

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