WHEATON-GLENMONT, Md. — A previous version of this story misidentified Trinity Property Consultants as the property managment company of 'Arrive Wheaton'. Trinity's President tells WUSA9 it is not affiliated with 'Arrive Wheaton' and the property is managed by Red Tail Acquisitions.
Elzie Walker, 65, was reduced to tears on a bench outside his high-rise apartment building on Wednesday afternoon.
Moments after concluding a press conference that included fellow residents of the 'Arrive Wheaton' complex, state elected leaders, lawyers and the Montgomery County Renters Alliance, Walker described the stress he's endured over the past year.
"They've made my life completely miserable," he said. "I'm tired! I'm waking up and I don't know what's going to happen 'cause I don't know if they're going to come tomorrow and just say get out because they can do what they want to do."
Walker has lived in the building since 2018. New management arrived in 2021 according to the that was filed in Montgomery County Circuit Court.
The suit claims that problems began for Walker in 2023 after Arrive Wheaton slowed the process of Walker being able to utilize Section 8 voucher subsidies to pay his rent and when he began trying to organize a tenants association.
Several months later, Arrive Wheaton notified Walker his tenancy would be terminated and he would be forced to move when his lease expired in April 2024. He has not moved out and the company has commenced eviction proceedings.
"This is the worst management company we've dealt with and I've been doing this for over fifteen years," said Matt Losak, Executive Director of the Montgomery County Renters Alliance. "When they first came here two years ago we heard how rude they were to the tenants. We went in and talked with them. Filed complaints with the county. A year later they're going after tenants and trying to evict them without cause."
Losak says the lawsuit filed on Walker's behalf came after multiple steps of trying to sort things out amicably with property managers.
"Unfortunately what I think they're trying to do is to move out the lower-income tenants," Losak said. "Those who are receiving rental subsidies and frankly it's a possibility that they're also going after people of color."
Walker says it's difficult to plan what comes next. He was hoping to remain in his apartment for a few more years while saving up enough money to move out of the area.
"The way these people have treated me. It's just wrong," he said.
WUSA9 attempted to reach Red Tail Acquisitions, the California-based parent company of 'Arrive Wheaton'. We also went inside the leasing office at Arrive Wheaton to ask about the allegations and the lawsuit. There was no response at all to our requests for comment.
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