Community

Living in the District of Columbia community is an important part of being a GW student. As such, please refer to the resources listed to the left to make sure you are getting the most out of your experience living in the District of Columbia.

Guide to Living Off Campus

Resources

Moving off campus is a major transition that brings a great deal of excitement and independence. The move to independent living signals a significant milestone in an individual's progression towards an autonomous lifestyle. Whether you are an undergraduate moving off campus, or a new transfer student or a graduate student moving to DC for the first time you'll find information and resources that will help your transition.

Along with the feeling of excitement and independence comes the responsibility of living in a neighborhood community. Similar to life in GW's residence halls, your new off-campus neighborhood will have various community standards to which all individuals are expected to adhere. Although this website will not address every aspect of community living, it will provide you with information about several key matters that you should take notice of as a resident of Historical Foggy Bottom, Foxhall, or other areas of the District of Columbia. Additional information is provided regarding practices in Virginia and Maryland.

Living in the Nation's Capital

One of the greatest assets of attending George Washington University is the city in which the campus is located. The District of Columbia is one of the most exciting places to live in the world. From political activity to cultural events to historic neighborhoods to monuments and museums to sporting events, Washington DC has it all.

Take advantage of the time that you have in this great city. Visit the fourteen museums of the Smithsonian, take in a baseball game played by the new Washington Nationals, or eat at historic (and delicious) Ben's Chili Bowl on U Street. Whatever your interests, Washington has something for you.

For more information about all that Washington DC has to offer, visit the official tourism website of Washington DC.

Voter Registration

To register to vote in the District of Columbia, please visit the District of Columbia Board of Elections website.
To register to vote in the state of Maryland, please visit the Maryland State Board of Elections website.
To register to vote in the commonwealth of Virginia, please visit the Virginia Department of Elections website.

Pets

Unlike living in a residence hall, certain off-campus living communities permit pets. Depending on the type of facility that you are living in, the ability to have pets will vary. You should check with your landlord or management company to see if pets are allowed.

Dogs

As a measure of public safety, all dogs in the District of Columbia must be registered through the Division of Animal Disease Prevention in the Environmental Health Administration of the Department of Health. The District of Columbia Code addresses the timeframe for registration of dogs in the following section:

An owner who has a dog over the age of 4 months shall before July 1st of each year, or within 10 days of acquiring the dog, or within 10 days after the dog becomes 4 months of age, obtain an annual license. An owner shall ensure that his dog wears a collar and a license.

D.C. Code S 8-1804 Licenses and Fees

In order to register a dog, the owner must have the following items:

A completed application with current information
Proof of rabies and distemper vaccinations
Proof of sterilization

Fees:

$13.00 for a male dog certified neutered
$13.00 for a female dog certified spayed
$46.00 for all other dogs

In order to keep your community enjoyable for all and to support a clean city, note that it is the owner's responsibility to clean up (scoop up) after their pets.

For more information about the registration of dogs or to submit an application for processing, contact the following office:

Department of Health
Division of Animal Disease Prevention
51 N Street, NE 6th Floor
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: (202) 535-2323
Fax: (202) 535-2325
dchealth.dc.gov

Campus Involvement

There are more than 400 student-launched and student-run organizations at the George Washington University. With oversight provided by the Center for Student Engagement, these student organizations run from academic to cultural, spiritual to recreational, and political to performing arts. The student groups behind them are diverse. The activities they sponsor bridge a number of interests and issues. These organizations provide our students with leadership opportunities and extracurricular and co-curricular experiences. The university community benefits from the creative programming that emerges from GW’s student organizations.

The Center for Civic Engagement and Public Service provides students with a central place to become involved in community service, helping students find resources for funding their projects and encouraging students to become life-long volunteers. From getting involved in D.C. schools to Alternative Breaks in to volunteer abroad, the center is your source for service

Community Contacts

Metropolitan Police Department

Emergency: 911
Foggy Bottom Station: (202) 282-0050

The George Washington Police Department (GWPD)

Foggy Bottom Emergency: (202) 994-6111
Foggy Bottom Non-Emergency: (202) 994-6110
Mount Vernon Emergency: (202) 242-6111
Mount Vernon Non-Emergency: (202) 242-6110

Fire & Emergency Medical Services Department

Emergency: 911
Non-Emergency: (202) 673-3331

Mayor's City-wide Call Center

311: Provides information on services of the Government of the District of Columbia. Residents should call the Mayor's City-wide Call Center to request many services, such as bulk collection, parking enforcement, trash and recycling collection, and street or sidewalk repair.

Utilities:

Student Discount Guide (Tech/Utility)

Washington Gas

Emergency - (703) 750-1400 or (800) 752-7520
Billing or to schedule service - (703) 750-1000

PEPCO (electricity DC & MD)

To report an outage - (877) PEPCO-62
To schedule service - (202) 833-7500

Dominion Power (electricity VA)

(888) 667-3000

DC Water and Sewer Authority

Emergency - (202) 612-3400
Billing & new connections - (202) 354-3600

Comcast/Xfinity (Cable/Internet Provider)

(800) COMCAST

RCN (Cable/Internet Provider)

(800) 746-4726

Verizon FiOS (TV/Internet/Phone provider)

Verizon FiOS ( in Spanish)

(888) 656-4454

HugesNet (Satellite Internet/VOIP services)

1-800-837-4966

GW Departments:

Counseling & Psychological Services - Student Health Center

24/7 Hotline: (202) 994-5300

Medical Services - Student Health Center

24/7 Hotline: (202) 994-5300

GW Campus Advisories

(202) 994-5050

Annual Reports

The document linked here are the Annual Community Concern Reports. If you have any questions, please contact the Off-campus Student Affairs Office at ocsagwu [dot] edu (ocsa[at]gwu[dot]edu)