Migliaccio & Rathod is currently investigating complaints of unlivable conditions from D.C. residents at the Worthington Woods Apartments located in Southeast DC. These renters recently went public with allegations that the apartment complex has severe maintenance issues involving raw sewage and consequent mold. They report that, despite having regularly raised such concerns, the management has met them with complete inaction and a lack of urgency about these extreme public health hazards. Tenants state and have complained to management that, even since 2017 or 2018, the sewage lines back up to the extent that raw waste bubbles up in shower drains. Moreover, without proper sanitation and correction of such egregious piping issues, the complex additionally has an endemic outbreak of black mold. It is hard to imagine more emergent and uninhabitable conditions plaguing any residence, but it is all the more unbelievable that such conditions exist in an entire complex whose management has systematically failed to act.
Unfortunately, uninhabitable conditions like these are not uncommon among DC housing complexes, nor is the lack of concern from management. In fact, tenants, advocates, and journalists have been documenting the failures in management when it comes to sanitation, maintenance, pest control, and more, including reporting to the D.C. Department of Regulatory and Consumer Affairs—the agency in charge of inspecting properties and generally ensuring housing is safe and habitable for tenants. Indeed, a 2018 report from the Office of the DC Auditor found the current regulatory system allows landlords to delay necessary repairs and remediations “and keep[s] District residents in substandard housing conditions for extended periods.” In the face of such inaction, consumer protection laws can be a tool to stop unfair and deceptive housing practices which the city is unable to prevent alone. Some of our alternative ongoing investigations regarding tenant rights can be found here: Potomac Gardens Unlivable Conditions, Excessive Rent Increases, Infestations, & Fees.
Are you a resident of Worthington Woods in the District of Columbia subject to grossly uninhabitable conditions which have gone unaddressed by management?
If so, we would like to speak with you. Please complete the questionnaire below, send us an email at [email protected], or give us a call at (202) 470-3520 for more information.
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The lawyers at Migliaccio & Rathod LLP have years of experience in class action litigation against large corporations, including in cases involving unfair and deceptive trade practices. More information about our current cases and investigations is available on our blog.