The Marion Barry Building houses offices for dozens of D.C. government agencies. In hearings, employees have also described roaches falling onto people from the ceiling and recounted prying themselves out of stuck elevators.
Sloane Airey reports for @wcp.bsky.social, funded by SpotlightDC
Read on for more information, including a report from the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment. Mayor Muriel Bowser is proposing legislation to enhance consumer protections for residential retail energy customers, and mayoral candidates have championed stringent retail market oversight.
In contrast to D.C., Maryland’s Public Services Commission has initiated enforcement actions against predatory third-party suppliers. Last year, it ordered SmartEnergy—one of the companies on Selena’s account—to refund $6.5 million to more than 32,000 customers.
This unauthorized enrollment of consumers into high-interest energy contracts is so common that it has a name: “slamming.”
One customer named Selena was promised that if she switched providers, her Pepco bill would go down.
Instead, her bills spiked. "I thought Pepco had gone crazy," Selena said. At one point, 15 different unknown energy suppliers appeared on her bill.
This story was funded by SpotlightDC, which awards grants to journalists for impactful watchdog reporting in the D.C. area. Learn more about SpotlightDC and find other stories keeping the powerful accountable: spotlightdc.org
As repairs dragged on in one of D.C.'s largest office buildings, the D.C. government spent more than $1 million on a team of contractors to manually watch for fire.
It was supposed to be temporary. Taxpayers ended up footing the bill for almost a year.
The work of the DC Food Policy Council might seem a little wonky. But after all, as a Ward 7 Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner points out, "Everybody has to eat everyday."
Mayor Muriel Bowser’s proposed budget would eliminate the council. @51st.news explores what's at stake.
Disputed charges. Mounting debt. Chaotic electricity bills.
D.C.'s deregulated energy market has left some residential customers vulnerable to excessive charges and predatory practices. In @wcp.bsky.social, Suzie Amanuel reports on the third-party power market:
spotlightdc.org/third-party-...
LIVE: We're hosting a debate between the candidates for D.C.'s delegate to Congress.
Watch Trent Holbrook, @gregjaczko.bsky.social, Brooke Pinto, @robertwhite-dc.bsky.social, and @kinney4dc.bsky.social face off.
Starts at 6 p.m. ET — with @washingtoninformer.com and @spotlightdc.bsky.social:
The mayor proposed eliminating an office that has helped low-income students access food over the summer and made it easier to start farmers markets.
