They Lived in Squalor, Will Get Every Penny of Rent Back

Nearly 100 tenants of nine DC apartment buildings will get their rent refunded in full due to the squalor they were forced to live in. The Washington Post reports a DC landlord has been ordered to pay $6.8 million in restitution and penalties for the hazardous and illegal conditions, DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb announced Tuesday; $1.5 million of that is tenant restitution, with the rest made up of civil penalties and attorney's fees. The judgment is among the largest the office has secured in connection with housing conditions. WUSA9 reports the refunds will cover all rent paid between Jan. 1, 2018 and April 26, 2023, plus interest.

Tenants of Adolphe Edwards endured years of substandard living, reports say, including infestations, collapsing ceilings, and a lack of basic fire safety equipment. Inspectors repeatedly found leaks, fire hazards, and chipping lead-based paint in more than 120 apartments, most located on Alabama Avenue SE and near Missouri Avenue NW. Residents described conditions such as raccoons living in ceilings, extensive water damage, and rotten floors, while one tenant's legal filings noted health issues worsened by persistent mold and moisture. The properties amassed more than 1,400 DC housing code violations and another 7,200 toxic lead paint protection law violations.

The DC attorney general sued Edwards and his AJ Edwards Realty in 2022; the court appointed a receiver to manage the properties in 2023 after determining Edwards hadn't completed required repairs by court deadlines. Edwards filed for bankruptcy shortly after and sold a number of the units, with the remainder in the process of being sold. "Adolphe Edwards forced his tenants to live in squalor and then, tried every trick in the book to avoid taking responsibility," Schwalb said in a statement. "When landlords put profits over tenants' health and safety, the independent Office of Attorney General will use the law to hold them accountable and ensure that tenants receive the compensation they deserve." (This content was created with the help of AI. Read our AI policy.)