The Office of Tax and Revenue is investigating how Mayor Adrian Fenty’s controversial Zoning Commission appointee Geoff Griffis received dual homestead deductions, according to a letter from Deputy Chief Financial Officer Sherryl Newman.
In a letter sent Friday to Council Member Phil Mendelson, D-at large, Newman said the office is looking into Griffis’ eligibility requirements for two row houses he owns at 1242 and 1246 Columbia Road in Northwest. Griffis, who has served on the Board of Zoning Adjustment as an appointee of former Mayor Anthony Williams since 2001, has received the deduction on both homes for years, even though District laws only allow one.
Newman was not available Tuesday.
Griffis has maintained he was not aware he received the deductions until after Mendelson asked about them during a contentious daylong hearing over his nomination in February. He has been the target of residents who accuse him of favoring developers over residents during his BZA tenure.
Griffis, who serves on the board of directors of Young America Works Public Charter School, has also said he was unaware that the school’s founders are wrapped up in a federal grand jury investigation.
Griffis said he received a letter from OTR asking that he provide documentation by March 28 on which house is his actual residence.
“As soon as I get two seconds to pull all that together, I will drop it by,” Griffis said Tuesday.
It is not clear when Griffis’ nomination will come before the council for a vote. Chairman Vincent Gray said Tuesday he’s trying to gauge support for the nomination. As many as five council members have indicated they will oppose Griffis and at least three others have said they are undecided.
Fenty spokeswoman Mafara Hobson said Tuesday the mayor still stands behind his appointment.
