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Landlord-tenant relations

DC Attorney General Sues Landlords for Neglect and Discrimination in Affordable Housing Properties

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A lawsuit was filed against two landlords in DC, one for allegedly using harassment and poor living conditions to push longtime residents out and the other for ignoring dangerous conditions for over six years. The suits are part of an ongoing effort to address neglect and displacement in affordable-housing properties.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Hawaii-Webster Apartments, a 11-building complex with 88 garden-style apartments, has been sold to a new owner who has submitted redevelopment plans to transform the property into market-rate condominiums and rental units, with only 16 of the 134 apartments slated to be preserved as affordable units.
  • Residents of the apartments have reported dramatic issues with leaks, mold, rats and cockroaches, and weeks spent living without adequate heat this winter, and fear the owner is trying to drive them out of their homes.
  • The King Towers building in Ward 2, with 129 apartments, has failed inspections over 100 times since 2015, with issues including floods and leaks, mold, infestations of insects and rodents, and ventilation issues.
  • The attorney general's office has accused the owner of King Towers of falsely advertising facilities to prospective renters that do not exist or are inoperable, including a laundry room, 24-hour maintenance, controlled building access, and a business center.
  • The two apartment complexes are home primarily to immigrant families, some of whom have lived in their apartments for upward of a decade.

Statistics:

  • The Hawaii-Webster Apartments have 88 garden-style apartments in an 11-building complex.
  • Only 16 of the 134 apartments in the planned redevelopment of the Hawaii-Webster Apartments are slated to be preserved as affordable units.
  • The King Towers building has 129 apartments and has failed inspections over 100 times since 2015.
  • 53% of the 129 apartments in King Towers receive housing assistance from the government.

Sources:

  • "DC attorney general sues landlords over neglect and harassment at two affordable housing complexes", Washington Post, 2023
  • "DC Attorney General Sues Landlords Over Neglect of Affordable Housing Complexes", NBC Washington, 2023
  • "DC Attorney General Karl Racine sues landlords over neglect of affordable housing", The Hill, 2023

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