(a) Whoever shall erect, establish, continue, maintain, use, own, occupy, or release any building, erection, or place used for the purpose of lewdness, assignation, or prostitution in the District of Columbia is guilty of a nuisance, and the building, erection, or place, or the ground itself in or upon which such lewdness, assignation, or prostitution is conducted, permitted, or carried on, continued, or exists, and the furniture, fixtures, musical instruments, and contents are also declared a nuisance, and shall be enjoined and abated as hereinafter provided.
(b) Whoever shall erect, establish, continue, maintain, use, own, occupy, or release any building, erection, or place which is resorted to by persons using controlled substances in violation of Chapter 9 of Title 48, for the purpose of using any of these substances or for the purpose of keeping or selling any of these substances in violation of Chapter 9 of Title 48, is guilty of a nuisance, and the building, erection, or place, or the ground itself in or upon which such activity is conducted, permitted, or carried on, continued, or exists, and the furniture, fixtures, and contents thereof, are also declared a nuisance and disorderly house, and shall be enjoined and abated as hereinafter provided.
CREDIT(S)
(Feb. 7, 1914, 38 Stat. 280, ch. 16, § 1; June 19, 1998, D.C. Law 12-127, § 2(a), 45 DCR 1304.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 22-2713.
1973 Ed., § 22-2713.
Legislative History of Laws
Law 12-127, the “Drug House Abatement Amendment Act of 1998,” was introduced in Council and assigned Bill No. 12-141, which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. The Bill was adopted on first and second readings on December 4, 1997, and January 6, 1998, respectively. Signed by the Mayor on January 26, 1998, it was assigned Act No. 12-261 and transmitted to both Houses of Congress for its review. D.C. Law 12-127 became effective on June 19, 1998.