WASHINGTON — D.C's Attorney General Karl A. Racine is suing the District of Columbia Housing Authority (DCHA) for what his office says is the endangerment of over 5,000 tenants at 10 public housing properties — including the surrounding communities in Wards 1, 5, 6, and 7 — by failing to confront drug- and firearm-related incidents at the properties.
DCHA, an independent District agency, provides housing for low and moderate income making households in D.C.
According to Racine's office, between January 2019 and May 2020, the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has responded to over 5,270 incidents that occurred at the properties, including homicides, shootings and drug offenses.
“District law requires building owners such as DCHA to maintain their properties and take reasonable precautions to protect their tenants and properties from crime,” said AG Racine. “In response to complaints from residents, our office repeatedly warned DCHA about dangerous and illegal activity at their properties, putting tenants — especially children, seniors, and residents with disabilities — at risk. Following DCHA’s inaction, the Office of the Attorney General filed suit to force the agency to make reasonable, but critical, improvements in the maintenance and security of the properties.”
The properties that Racine is suing over include:
- Kenilworth Courts Apartments
- Langston Terrace and Additions
- Lincoln Heights Apartments
- Richardson Dwellings Apartments in Northeast
- LeDroit Apartments
- Kelly Miller Apartments
- James Creek Apartments
- Syphax Gardens Apartments
- Benning Terrace Apartments
- Stoddert Terrace Apartments
- Scattered-site public housing properties formerly known as the Arthur Capper/Carrollsburg Apartments in Southeast.
Racine's office said the District’s Drug-, Firearm- or Prostitution-Related Nuisance Abatement Act (Nuisance Act) authorizes OAG to take action against owners and operators to remedy drug and firearm-related nuisance activity at a property.
DCHA was formed by the D.C. Council in 1995
DCHA’s real estate portfolio includes more than 8,000 public housing units across 56 properties, serving close to 20,000 District of Columbia residents, according to Racine's office.
Racine has held his position as D.C. Attorney General since being elected to the position in 2015.
You can find a copy of the complaint filed by Racine's office against DCHA here.
