Residents and landlords speak at an apartment-focused Council hearing on crime

by Marlene Berlin

The DC Council, for the first time, is considering legislation that seeks to address crime in apartment buildings specifically. And at last month’s hearing on the bill, many of the nearly five dozen witnesses testified in detail about the personal and community impacts.

The majority of witnesses at the December 10th hearing were either renters, or they were speaking for tenants associations and advisory neighborhood commissions. Landlords were also represented, either by individual owners or by officials from two landlord groups: the Apartment and Office Building Association and the Small Multifamily Rental Owners Association.

The bill in question is the Secure Apartments for Everyone (SAFE) Act, submitted to the Council by the Office of Attorney General (OAG) in July 2024. It would expand the existing law governing so-called “nuisance properties” to include any building where dangerous or violent crimes have been committed. While many apartment buildings would meet that criteria, the OAG has said they are excluded under the current law. Another component of the bill is court-mandated security inspections by the Department of Buildings when drugs or arms are seized, or an arrest is made for violent or dangerous crimes. And there’s a security infrastructure component, concerning door and window locks and outdoor lighting.

Witnesses from around the District testified about crime and violence in their buildings, and the resulting livability impacts on their residences and their neighborhoods. Many residents and tenant leaders said that the existing nuisance properties law sets the bar too high.

The apartment buildings in our neighborhood had substantial representation by witnesses who detailed several violent incidents, including the deaths of two children last fall. Many said the bill is a good start but needs work. Harry Gural (at 0:28:20 in the video above), the the president of the tenants association at 3003 Van Ness, called for the legislation to be strengthened to provide clear directives to rental property owners. Kim Farmer (0:42:30), a longtime advocate on the issue, asked that the Council remember that condos are having crime issues as well. Carren Kaston (speaking at 1:57:14) is a former tenants association president at Sedgwick Gardens, another building with long-time safety issues. And testifying in their ANC roles were 3F Chair Courtney Carlson (2:24:40), Teri Huet (1:57:50) and commissioner-elect Amy Rofman (2:43:35). (Disclosure: I also testified, at 35:42.)

The landlords testifying said the bill is too onerous. A self-locking doors and windows requirement, for example, would be no deterrent for motivated criminals, some said. And legal fees associated with court appearances, they said, would too much of burden, especially for the owners of affordable housing. Barry Mandani, CEO and founder of Solid Properties, testified of barely being able to hold on financially (1:53:16).

DC agencies that would or could be charged with conducting security inspections and assessments also voiced concerns. Keith Parsons of the Department of Buildings (3:30:30) said it would be costly to ramp up hiring and inspector training. He cited police data showing that in the first half of 2024, 85 buildings were impacted by dangerous or violent crimes.

“This means that if the other criteria extended to a similar number of properties over the whole year the do would be required to do more than 400 to 500 security assessments per year,” Parsons said.

And Kelly O’Meara, executive director of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Strategic Change Division (4:33:45) said security assessments are outside of MPD’s skill set, and he questioned the mechanisms for triggering the assessments.

Council Chair Phil Mendelson took part in the questioning of the panel of government witnesses, who included Attorney General Brian Schwalb. Mendelson expressed his own concerns about the costs to the District.

The hearing was jointly held by Mendelson’s Committee of the Whole, and Ward 2 Council member Brooke Pinto’s Judiciary and Public Safety Committee. Pinto chaired the hearing because Mendelson was also testifying at a congressional hearing that day. Ward 3 Council member Matt Frumin remained on the dais throughout the hearing, asking many questions to clarify issues. At-Large Council member Robert White dropped in for a short time, and Council member Charles Allen of Ward 6, home to several high-rises, made a number of appearances.

Where landlords and tenants agreed, and woven through many testimonies, was the need to expedite the eviction process to get bad actors out of apartment buildings. Mendelson said his office might introduce a bill early this year “that would make the eviction process easier where public safety or criminal activity is the issue.”