Washington, D.C. – Last week, a shocking report was published exposing a low-income housing building owned by Warnock’s Ebenezer Baptist Church. At the height of the pandemic, the building served eviction notices for residents owing as little as $28.55 in past-due rent.
Today, a new piece is out detailing the poor living conditions of the building. From smells and filth to collapsing elevators…
Pests, Filth, and Killer Elevators: Inside Raphael Warnock’s Secret Low-Income Apartment Building
By Andrew Kerr and Alana Goodman
A low-income apartment building owned by Raphael Warnock’s church is plagued by pests, maintenance problems, and filth, according to residents—and at least two people have sued the building this year after the elevator allegedly collapsed on them.
Residents of the Columbia Tower at MLK Village complained about living conditions in the building, telling the Washington Free Beacon that garbage is left to pile up in the storage rooms for days, creating an “overwhelming trash smell,” common areas aren’t maintained, and the air vents produce a “sickening” amount of dust.
Tenants also said the elevators often break down, and handicapped residents have had to call the fire department to carry them to their rooms…
Court filings reviewed by the Free Beacon appear to back up claims from Columbia Tower residents that there are problems with the living conditions at the building.
Two men filed separate lawsuits against the building in February and May of this year claiming they were injured after the elevator ceiling collapsed on them in May 2020.
One of the alleged victims said he “was in an elevator at Columbia at MLK Village Towers as the elevator ceiling abruptly fell down,” knocking him unconscious and resulting in injuries that cost him over $50,000 in medical bills.
“The collapsed elevator ceiling struck the Plaintiff about the head, neck, and back area,” said the lawsuit. “The impact of the collapsed elevator ceiling caused the Plaintiff to immediately lose consciousness.”
Read more at the Washington Free Beacon
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