District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs

The District of Columbia Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) is a District of Columbia agency that issues licenses and permits. It falls under the oversight of the Council of the District of Columbia and its operations fall under the responsibility of the mayor, delegated to an appointed director, as with most other cabinet-style directorates or agencies.

According to the DCRA: The mission of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs is to protect the health, safety, economic interests, and quality of life of residents, businesses, and visitors in the District of Columbia by issuing licenses and permits, conducting inspections, enforcing building, housing, and safety codes, regulating land use and development, and providing consumer education and advocacy services.

In April 2007, Mayor Adrian Fenty appointed Linda Argo as Director of DCRA.

In the summer of 2007, one housing inspector was sentenced to 60 months in prison and DCRA was the subject of a FBI investigation following a scheme to require a developer to pay for permits. To lift a stop-work order, developers were requested to pay $20,000. Later in 2007, another DCRA employee was found guilty of bribery after telling a hotel engineer that she could obtain permits in exchange for cash.

Under Argo's leadership, efforts were undertaken in 2010 to modernize the agency. DCRA moved to new headquarters at 1100 Fourth St. SW, which included an open permitting and licensing center. Argo left in 2010, following Adrian Fenty's defeat.

In 2015, a permit expediter was charged with paying bribes to DCRA permitting officials. The bribes were termed "lunch money" and ranged from $20 to $500.

Melinda Bolling is the agency’s permanent director. Previously, she served as interim director and general counsel.

The DCRA issues or maintains the following:

The former director of the DCRA is Nicholas A. Majett, a Washington lawyer and civil-servant; in 2006 he became the deputy director of the department and served until he was appointed director on 18 December 2010.

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