Morning Feed

ONE STOP HOME ADDITION: Remember when you let your drivers license expire because you dreaded the visit to the DC DMV (ok maybe you didnt do this, but the DC Bubble did). Well there have been serious improvements to the DMV and now, as of yesterday, there is one office to go to win approval for home-improvement permits.

The Homeowners Center, run by the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs, promises to help homeowners get building permits more easily in DC. The center will provide one-on-one customer service to help residents through the improvement permitting process efficiently and without migranes. It’s a place where residents can get answers fast,” added Mayor Williams.

The center is located, just north of Union Staion, at 941 North Capitol Street NE. It is open to the public 8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday. Walk-in or make an appointment.

One Liners

HOSPITAL DEAL: With critics, such as the DC Hospital Assn., panning the idea of new city-funded ... cough ... subsidized ... cough ... hosptial, approval of the deal by the DC council remains in doubt. Mayor-for-the-moment Tony Williams contends construction of the hospital will create between 1,800 and 2,700 jobs — and ongoing operations of the center will create another 1,200 to 1,800 jobs. Please DC Council act decisively on this. The DC Bubble cant stand another impasse. No word on how much of the Howard Hospital on Georgia Ave. will stay or be transfered to the new facility.


STEADY '06 FOR HOUSING: The housing market will plateau in 2006, predicts National Assn. of Realtors chief economist David Lereah. With pending home sales are trending down from a record in August, the market "remains well above a mark that is considered to be historically strong,” concluded Lereah.

“We are clearly experiencing a market transition, moving from a prolonged boom to a more balanced period of sustainable sales,” Lereah said. “In other words, home sales have been peaking for the last five years and we will land on a high plateau in 2006 – a market that will be healthy for both buyers and sellers. Investment fundamentals for housing remain solid, preserving generally favorable affordability conditions while offering solid returns as well as a place to live.”