DC hotel agrees to increase security after killings of 2 women, other violent incidents

The Ivy City Hotel on New York Avenue in Northeast D.C. has agreed to boost security after several violent incidents.

The D.C. attorney general’s office says from February 2023 to February 2024, two women were killed at the hotel. In addition, there were three drug-related deaths, multiple gun incidents and multiple drug recoveries.

“This was an enforcement action under our nuisance act,” Assistant Deputy Attorney General Beth Mellen said. “That’s an act we use where we have properties that are being used to facilitate drug and firearm crimes or prostitution.”

Under the act, the attorney general’s office has authority to take legal action against property owners and managers if they find there is a pattern of illegal drug-, firearm-, or prostitution-related activities on their properties and if the owner then fails to implement appropriate security measures to prevent further criminal activity.

Under the terms of the settlement, the owners of the Ivy City Hotel will be required to:

• Increase security staffing during overnight hours.
• Link security cameras to the D.C. police department’s Real Time Crime Center. The hotel must register its cameras with the District’s Camera Connect Program, which shares the security footage with the crime center.
• Maintain existing lighting, cameras and security staffing levels and allow the attorney general’s office to inspect the property through August 2025.

“We are always hopeful that when we get things like the cameras and lighting and we see that maintained and necessary private security coverage, that will result in fewer incidents,” said Mellen. “We’re really trying to take use all the tools we have as the District of Columbia and with our office to address the public safety concerns that we know are on so many residents’ minds.”

The attorney general’s office will also inspect the hotel through August 2025.