Pop-up home development raises safety concerns for some neighbors in NW D.C.

WASHINGTON (WJLA) - The development of a pop-up property is raising safety concerns for some residents after a partial collapse of a home under renovation.

Developer Anax Moraes and his crew resumed work Monday on his pop- up property at 67 V Street in Northwest, D.C.

Anti-pop-up neighbors got his project shut down Sunday, June 28 calling in police, fire crews and consumer and regulatory affairs officials and said they feared the way his crews were using a backhoe might affect adjacent properties.

After a brief meeting with Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) officials Monday morning, Moraes was back in business, though he did not have to put the correct names on his various permits, which had been in the name of the previous property owner.

This is the latest battle in a growing war by groups angered by pop-up properties in the District.

In early June, the D.C. Zoning Board limited the size and height of such building conversions to 35 feet high and extensions limited to 10 feet. Moraes' building at 67 V Street was under the wire, so he's able to operate under the old rules.

Neighbors said they dont believe Moraes is a responsible builder. "My wife is in fear of sleeping in her bedroom tonight for fear the walls will come down," said Alex Seutter who's house shares a wall with Moraes' property.

Moraes, a Greek immigrant, is not apologizing. "I'm not here to get in the way of anyone's life, I just want to get it done, Moraes said. "If it was not for me building, somebody else would be building."