Bill Proposes New Two-Step Process for Surplus Property

dcogcadmin | December 1, 2009

In part due to a backlash to what residents viewed as a proposed speedy and secretive sale of a West End library and fire station in 2007, D.C. councilmember Tommy Thomas has introduced legislation that would require two separate steps when declaring and selling surplus property.  The deal that sparked the outrage was never consummated, but did inspire Thomas to review the city’s process for handling surplus property.  Under Thomas’ bill, the city’s economic development team would need to submit to the Council an initial declaration that a given property is surplus, followed by the separate submission of a potential deal for the property’s sale.

In part due to a backlash to what residents viewed as a proposed speedy and secretive sale of a West End library and fire station in 2007, D.C. councilmember Tommy Thomas has introduced legislation that would require two separate steps when declaring and selling surplus property.  The deal that sparked the outrage was never consummated, but did inspire Thomas to review the city’s process for handling surplus property.  Under Thomas’ bill, the city’s economic development team would need to submit to the Council an initial declaration that a given property is surplus, followed by the separate submission of a potential deal for the property’s sale. Washington Business Journal