July 8, 2024
Nyasha Smith
Secretary to the Council
Council of the District of Columbia
1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20004
Dear Secretary Smith:
Today, I am introducing the “1333 M Street, SE Tax Abatement Amendment Act of 2024”. Please find
enclosed a signed copy of the legislation.
High interest rates and frozen capital markets continue to impact and delay much-needed economic
development projects in the District and throughout the country. One such project is the River’s Edge,
located at 1333 M Street, SE, which sits at the edge of the Anacostia River. The River’s Edge is a
development project that will bring more than 1,200 residents, a series of retail plazas, outdoor
courtyards, private terrace spaces, and varied pedestrian experiences that will connect District residents
to the Anacostia River. This project has struggled due to unprecedented spikes in costs and interest
rates.
To advance the project and continue the District’s investments in affordable housing and in our
economic recovery, this legislation will provide a tax abatement for the River’s Edge beginning in Fiscal
Year 2029, equal to the amount of the real property taxes assessed and imposed in excess of any amount
over $150,000 per year and subject to certain conditions that will bring value to the neighborhood, such
as pedestrian plazas, a neighborhood greenway, a reconstructed Anacostia Bicycle Trail, and the
installation of 52 short-term bicycle spaces in public space.
Please feel free to reach out to me or my Legislative Director, Antonio Nunes, with any questions or for
additional information.
Sincerely,
Councilmember Charles Allen, Ward 6
Chairperson, Committee on Transportation & the Environment
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2 Councilmember Charles Allen
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6 A BILL
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11 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
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16 To amend Chapter 46 of Title 47 of the District of Columbia Official Code to abate the real
17 property taxes on the real property located on Lot 2, Square 1048-S, or 1333 M Street,
18 SE, in Ward 6.
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20 BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
21 act may be cited as the “1333 M Street, SE Tax Abatement Amendment Act of 2024”.
22 Sec. 2. Chapter 46 of Title 47 of the District of Columbia Official Code is amended as
23 follows:
24 (a) The table of contents is amended by adding a new section designation to read as
25 follows:
26 “§ 47-4681. 1333 M Street, SE development project tax abatement.”.
27 (b) A new section 47-4681 is added to read as follows:
28 Ҥ 47-4681. 1333 M Street, SE development project tax abatement.
29 “(a) For the purpose of this section, the term:
30 “(1) “Developer” means FRF Land Owner LLC, its successors, affiliates, and
31 assigns.
32 “(2) “1333 M Street, SE Project” means the first-stage and consolidated Planned
33 Unit Development (“PUD”) approved by the Zoning Commission of the District of Columbia
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34 pursuant to Z.C. Order No. 20-06, effective April 23, 2021, as amended and extended pursuant to
35 Z.C. Order No. 20-06A-20-06C (collectively, the “Orders”).
36 “(3) “1333 M Street, SE Property” means the real property, including any
37 improvements thereon, located on Lot 2, Square 1048-S, or as the land for such lots may be
38 subdivided into record lots, assessment and taxation lots, condominium lots, air rights lots, or
39 any combination in the future.
40 “(b)(1) Subject to paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection and subsections (c), (d), and
41 (e) of this section, the 1333 M Street, SE Property shall be allowed an annual real property tax
42 abatement equal to the amount of the real property taxes assessed and imposed by Chapter 8 of
43 this title, in excess of any amount over $150,000 per year.
44 “(2) For the 1333 M Street, SE Property to receive the abatement described in this
45 section, the Developer shall:
46 “(A) To the extent constructed, set aside a minimum of 12% of the
47 residential gross floor area of the 1333 M Street, SE Project for households earning equal to or
48 less than 60% of the median family income (“MFI”), pursuant to the conditions set forth in the
49 Orders;
50 “(B) Have constructed or be in the process of constructing public space
51 improvements that provide benefits of special value to the neighborhood, including:
52 “(i) A neighborhood greenway on Water Street, SE, between 12th
53 and M Streets, SE;
54 “(ii) The Arrival Plaza, Waterfront Plaza, 14th Street Corridor
55 Plaza, and Lower Retail Promenade, as those improvements are explained in the Orders;
56 “(iii) A reconstructed Anacostia Bicycle Trail on M Street, SE;
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57 “(iv) A reconstructed Virginia Avenue, SE with bioretention
58 facilities; and
59 “(v) The installation of 52 short-term bicycle spaces in public
60 space on M Street and Virginia Avenue, SE.
61 “(3) The real property tax abatement provided in paragraph (1) of this subsection
62 shall apply for the 15 consecutive real property tax years beginning on October 1, 2028.
63 “(c) The real property tax abatement pursuant to subsection (b)(1) of this section shall be
64 in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other tax relief or assistance from any other source
65 applicable to the 1333 M Street, SE Project or the 1333 M Street, SE Property.
66 “(d) This section shall not prevent or restrict the Developer from utilizing any other tax,
67 development, or other economic development incentives available to the 1333 M Street, SE
68 Project or the 1333 M Street, SE Property.
69 “(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the owner of the 1333 M Street, SE
70 Property from appealing or contesting its real estate tax assessment.”.
71 Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement.
72 The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal
73 impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975,
74 approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a).
75 Sec. 4. Effective date.
76 This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the
77 Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as
78 provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December
79 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of
80 Columbia Register.
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