Neighbors: Prostitutes on our block

Who's responsible: D.C. police
Number of votes for this fix: 3

By all indications, the corner of 13th and Massachusetts Ave. near Thomas Circle in NW D.C. is rather nice: It has some posh-looking apartment buildings, a Pilates studio and something called the Institute for the Study of Man. There's one issue: The prostitutes.

"They cause quite a stir among the early-morning joggers and commuters," wrote griper fc. Another griper, George, reported he often sees them in the area between 3 and 7 a.m. Yet another griper, M., wrote they're "always dressed for the job in a very business-oriented and clean cut part of town. Very, very strange."

Well, maybe not as strange if you know the, ahem, history of the area. Lt. Nicholas Breul, D.C. police spokesman, said the block was once a hotspot for prostitution in the '80s and '90s. The activity has died down somewhat since then, but the department's vice squad is aware it is still a problem, Breul said.

The squad regularly targets areas known for prostitution around the city, including 13th and Massachusetts, Breul said. In fact, he said the squad has made 11 prostitution-related arrests on the block in the last two weeks. He said the department will continue patrols in the area.