DCRA NEWS

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September 2022 Edition



* A Message From The Director [ #link_8 ]
* Keeping Informed About Our Agency Transition [ #link_4 ]
* Fiscal Year 2022: Optimal Performance Closing Out The Year [ #link_2 ]
* Join Our Teams [ #link_1 ]
* DC Steps Into The Metaverse [ #link_5 ]
* Director Chrappah Joined District Architecture Experts In Discussing Best Practices to Prevent Catastrophic Collapses [ #link_3 ]
* Free Small Business Workshops Designed To Help You Grow [ #link_7 ]



A Message From The Director

Director Ernest Chrappah Head Shot

Dear DCRA Customers,

I welcome you to the final installment of the "DCRA News", the customer newsletter that we have frequently shared to keep you informed. On October 1, 2022, a new day will come as DCRA transitions into the District's two newest agencies – the Department of Buildings (DOB) and the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP).



As change is sometimes difficult, we understand that information makes embracing change easier. Over the past few months, we have shared information on our transition in this newsletter, held several informational sessions with stakeholder groups, and held two virtual public forums where I discussed the status of our agency's transition and the path that lies ahead in greater detail. As I have spoken to customers, stakeholders, and our staff, the usual question asked is "What Does This Mean To Me?" In response, let me say that our staff has worked hard to stand up these two new agencies, while still operating a functioning government agency. Our promise is that we will continue to strive for excellence and ensure as smooth a transition as possible – as well as uninterrupted service – for our customers.

While we will continue building on the progress DCRA has made, particularly over the past three years, the transition into two agencies will allow each to serve their respective customers by having a narrower focus and clear organizational structures. With a continued emphasis on providing good customer service, and improved access through innovative digital services, the anticipated positive impact of this transition will be clear through measured, published key performance indicators.

As with all District government agencies, each agency will operate independently with its own leadership. Efficiencies such as a single sign-on program that allows access to multiple platforms with one set of credentials and enhanced customer relationship management systems will remain, powered by Kustomer with a “K.” It is through Kustomer that customer inquiries will be efficiently received by each agency after the transition.

It has been a pleasure to serve the District as the Director of DCRA, and I am excited for the future of the District's newest two agencies. We look forward to beginning a new era of serving you.

Stay safe,

DCRA Director Ernest Chrappah Signature

Ernest Chrappah
Director

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Keeping Informed About Our Agency Transition [ [link removed] ]
DCRA Transition Graphic

We are committed to ensuring as seamless a transition as possible for residents, businesses, and visitors. To that end, we have been working diligently and are approaching the implementation of this transition. The online tools that DCRA has developed and launched to help simplify your experience will continue on. 

We trust that the innovative spirit fueling DCRA’s transformation over the past few years will lead the new agencies forward. We also recognize and appreciate that many of our customers have applications and transactions in process, and those will continue uninterrupted.

As two distinct agencies, we will continue to grow and evolve while still being familiar and accessible. We invite you to visit DCRATransition.dc.gov [ [link removed] ] to learn more about DOB and DLCP, understand what each agency will do, and view updated and evolving answers to Frequently Asked Questions generated through our customer and stakeholder engagement.

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Fiscal Year 2022: Optimal Performance Closing Out The Year
Agency Performance Dashboard [ [link removed] ]

As DCRA's final Fiscal Year 2022 comes to a close on September 30, 2022, we want to spotlight our service delivery to you. With a few days left in the quarter, we anticipate meeting or exceeding all 19 of our Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). As a District government agency, these KPIs are based off of our Service Level Agreements (SLAs) that inform our commitment to provide excellent government services in a timely manner to you. For more specific information about our performance, please visit our Agency Performance Dashboard [ [link removed] ].

Our promise to the District's residents, businesses, and visitors is that our service delivery will continue to be defined by excellence in customer service. Delivering on our SLAs is only part of the puzzle; it is also vital that we keep the customer experience foremost in our mind as we deliver the services that you have trusted us to provide. We will continue to operate transparently and make metrics and data on our service delivery publicly available after we transition to become the District's newest agencies.

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Join Our Teams
DCRA is Hiring!

In association with the establishment of DOB and DLCP, we are seeking talented professionals who possess a relevant skill set and a strong desire to serve the residents and businesses of the District.

To join District government at this exciting time, please view the positions associated with DCRA. Positions will be transferred to the new agencies as of October 1, 2022.

If you have an interest and are potentially qualified, view the current positions at the link below.

Apply Now [ [link removed] ]
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DC Steps Into The Metaverse
DC Startup Week Fireside Chat

Earlier this month, Director Ernest Chrappah joined Social Driver Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer Anthony Shop at DC Startup Week to talk about the steps DC is taking into the metaverse. DC Startup Week is the fastest-growing startup community in the region with over 10,000 entrepreneurs participating. Once a year, the expansive community comes together to connect, collaborate, share resources and celebrate a thriving ecosystem. Throughout the year, DC Startup Week strengthens a united community by curating inclusive, thought-provoking, and meaningful events and partnerships.

*What is the Metaverse?*

The metaverse exists in the computer-generated virtual-reality environment where people can engage with other users. Accessed through specialized hardware and software, the metaverse is an immersive virtual world where tech professionals, companies, marketers, and other innovators connect as the future of the internet evolves, and the District is involved.

*What Opportunity Does the Metaverse Create for the Built Environment?*


* Automating Building Permit Approval with Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Digital Twins

Through its digital transformation, DCRA transformed how we provide government services to our residents and business. It is an early innovator that implemented the review of building plans and streamlining permit issuance in a 100% online environment. To further accelerate reviews, DCRA is developing a BIM platform for plan review and permitting application for construction projects. Rather than rely on 2D or 3D drawings, architects and engineers may soon submit BIM models of their design and construction plans in the non-proprietary International Foundation Class (IFC) format. The BIM files will ensure that the plans for review contain rich data and provide complex technical information such as code ventilation calculations for mechanical studies.


* Decarbonization of Cities with BIM and Digital Twins

As part of the District's sustainability efforts, we aim to reduce emissions by 56% by 2032 through the Clean Energy DC [ [link removed] ] plan. To amplify the decarbonization efforts in the Clean Energy plan, we are exploring how digital twins created for the permitting process can be used to manage energy consumption in buildings.


* Expanding Economic Opportunity for Artists and the Building Community With DCRA’s Vacant-to-Visual NFT Project

Earlier this summer, DCRA launched the Vacant-to-Visual pilot program, transforming vacant properties across the District’s eight wards into canvasses for local and regional artists of color. Through this program, the quality of life for residents is improved as communities are infused with art. The next phase is to launch a collection of eight non-fungible tokens (NFTs) as we aim provide technical assistance to artists-in-residence to put their artwork on the blockchain and mint it for sale. 

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Director Chrappah Joined District Architecture Experts In Discussing Best Practices to Prevent Catastrophic Collapses

AIA DC Best Practices to Prevent Catastrophic Collapses Panel Discussion

On September 15, 2022, DCRA Director Ernest Chrappah was a panlist at the closing reception and panel discussion for the American Institute of Architects (AIA) DC Chapter's exhibit, Catastrophic Collapse: Lessons Learned, After the Fall [ [link removed] ]. The exhibit spotlighted eight well-documented structural failure case studies, and discussed the architectural and construction code lessons that were learned.

The reception served as a coda for the exhibit, which was housed at the District Architecture Center from May 3 through September 21, 2022. At the reception, a panel of architectural experts discussed measures to prevent catastrophic collapses, pinpointed proper engineering techniques for the investigation of collapses, and discussed code and inspection best practices that help to prevent property damage and safeguard lives.



Knickerbocker Theatre

Knickerbocker Theatre, circa October 1917. Photo courtesy of the AIADC exhibit.

One of these case studies was the 1922 roof collapse at the Knickerbocker Theatre, which was a movie theater that stood at the southeast corner of 18th Street and Columbia Road, NW in what is now part of Adams Morgan. The roof's collapse was caused by the weight of two feet of snow, and it resulted in 98 deaths and 133 injured. Investigation uncovered that the steel beams used in the theater's construction were lighter than the heavier ones that had been previously approved; this was due to a shortage that arose following World War I. This collapse led to the District government requiring better roofing support supplies in approved construction, and continuing education for architects for the maintenance of their licenses.

This exhibit underscores the important role DCRA plays in promoting a safe and dynamic built environment in the District. On October 1, 2022, the newly established Department of Buildings (DOB) will take on the mantle of regulating the District's built environment. Construction codes and regulation play a key role in preventing disasters like these from occurring, and in allowing residents, businesses, and visitors to the District to use and enjoy the diverse built environment that exists in the District.

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Free Small Business Workshops Designed To Help You Grow
SBRC

DCRA's Small Business Resource Center (SBRC) is the go-to source for information on how to get your business established and progressing forward.

Beginning October 1, 2022, the SBRC will continue to provide the same excellent tools, trainings, and resources for business owners as a part of the newly-established Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP). For existing and aspiring businesses, the SBRC will be here for you, and we welcome you to join us for these upcoming workshops and events:

*Webinar: Learn How to Become a Certified Business Enterprise (CBE)* [ [link removed] ]

Wednesday, October 5, 2022 – 10:00 am

*Webinar: DCRA At Your Neighborhood Library - Learn the Process of Starting a Business* [ [link removed] ]

Tuesday, October 11, 2022 – 5:00 pm

*Webinar: All Things Non-Profit* [ [link removed] ]

Thursday, October 13, 2022 – 10:00 am

*Webinar: Foundations for a Successful Business - Module 2: The Business Model Canvas*

Thursday, October 13, 2022 – 2:00 pm

*Webinar: Foundations for a Successful Business - Module 3: The Business Plan*

Thursday, October 27, 2022 – 2:00 pm

*SBRC One-On-One Call Session: Steps to Obtaining a Business License*

Monday – Friday by appointment between 10:00 am – 4:00 pm

*SBRC One-on-One Call Session: "Talk Business After Hours"*

Wednesdays by appointment between 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm

 

Register [ [link removed] ]

 








Government of the District of Columbia - Muriel Bowser, Mayor

*Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs*

1100 4th Street SW, Washington, DC 20024 ǀ 202.442.4400 ǀ dcra.dc.gov

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