WASHINGTON (7News) – At an apartment complex on Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in Southeast D.C., tenants continue to face unsafe and unsanitary conditions despite years of city fines and violations.
A Building in Crisis
From the street, the building’s problems are obvious. Out front, a shattered basement window greets passersby. Out back, piles of uncollected trash attract pests and worsen health hazards.
For longtime resident Evelyne Tolbert, living here has become a daily risk to her health.
“It has been unsafe for me and everyone in the building,” Tolbert told 7News. “I start coughing. I start wheezing more than when I’m not there.”
Community Leaders Sound the Alarm
Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner (ANC) Salim Adofo, who represents the area, has been outspoken about the dire state of the property.
“These conditions are just completely horrible,” Adofo said. “It’s unfit for a human being to live. This is a public safety hazard. This is a health hazard. No one can live in conditions like this. We want to make sure the people who own this property are held accountable.”
A Trail of Violations
7News reviewed the D.C. Department of Buildings’ (DOB) violations dashboard and discovered a staggering record:
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96 violations since 2022
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$114,132 in fines
The citations cover a range of serious issues, including:
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Failure to remove trash
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Rodent and insect infestations
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Lack of working smoke alarms and fire extinguishers
Adofo emphasized the danger these violations pose to vulnerable residents.
“We have seniors in this building, and if they can’t be alerted to a fire, their lives are at great risk,” he said. “Many have family members and grandchildren who visit. Their safety is compromised every day.”
Living Without Basics
Tolbert described conditions that go far beyond nuisance and discomfort.
“I have no hot water, no air conditioning, no heat, and no gas,” she explained. “We have mice infestation and roach infestation throughout the whole building. The mice literally walk around the hallways.”
Despite the mounting fines, the problems persist.
Elusive Ownership
7News searched for contact information tied to the LLC listed as the property’s owner in the DOB database but found nothing available to the public.
Tolbert expressed frustration at the lack of accountability.
“[DOB] has cited them, they’ve fined them, they’ve even triple-fined them, and still the owners have done nothing,” she said. “We’re still stuck in the same situation.”
Calls for Stronger Action
DOB has yet to provide a detailed update on next steps. Adofo confirmed he has been in direct contact with agency leaders to push for urgent intervention.
“It’s sad this is what our residents have to live through,” Adofo said. “We have to be their advocates because sometimes they don’t know what all of their rights are. People who do this kind of stuff should not be allowed to do business in the District.”
Tenants With Few Options
For Tolbert, leaving isn’t financially possible, even as conditions worsen.
“I’m grateful to have a place to live,” she admitted, “but it’s an embarrassment when my family and grandchildren visit. They ask me why I’m still living here. Financially, I can’t afford to move somewhere else.”
As residents wait for action, the building’s problems remain a visible reminder of what happens when fines and citations fail to bring real change.
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