The Norwood Tenants Association

2009-12-12T01:01:00.005-05:00

TENANTS AT NORWOOD APARTMENTS IN NW DC USE MAYAN CULTURAL TRADITIONS TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT RENT CONTROLLED HOUSING

Fundraiser to Benefit Low-Income Housing Cooperative in Logan Circle neighborhood

Aviso de prensa sigue en español.

WASHINGTON D.C. — The Norwood Tenants Association of 1417 N Street NW will commemorate the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe by hosting a cultural celebration Saturday, December 12 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the National City Christian Church, (5 Thomas Circle, NW 20001).

“The Norwood Tenants Association launched the Norwood Cooperative Project to preserve our building as affordable housing and the holiday celebration is being planned to highlight this effort.” Says Norwood tenant Silvia Salazar.

The event will feature an exhibit of traditional Mayan sawdust paintings in the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe. A Posada puppet show (in Spanish and English) will tell the story of rent controlled housing conditions and the preservation of affordable housing in DC. Musical performances will include Grupo Raíbales from the Guatemalan highlands and Son Jarocho from México. Children from the Norwood will also perform in a thank-you ceremony while wearing traditional Mexican and Guatemalan native clothing. The day’s festivities will culminate in a community reception. Proceeds from the event will benefit families struggling to place a down payment on affordable housing apartments in the Norwood apartment building.

Ms. Salazar continued, “We have organized other events to strengthen our community by hosting a health fairs and a fire prevention event with the DC Fire Department. The Norwood tenants extend special thanks to the community organizations, tenant advocacy groups, DC government agencies and elected officials that have supported our commitment to improve building conditions and to preserve the diversity of our community.”

The Norwood is an 84 unit rent-controlled building in the Logan Circle neighborhood of NW Washington, five blocks from the White House. The community includes diverse families who work in the service industry as waiters at restaurants and cleaning offices in downtown DC as well as young working professionals.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE INFORMACIÓN: Silvia Salazar (202) 412-3244

INQUILINOS NORWOOD EN WASHINGTON DC UTILIZAN LAS TRACICIONES CULTURALES MAYAS PARA AUMENTAR EL CONOCIMIENTO SOBRE EL ESTADO DE VIVIENDA A BAJO COSTO

Recaudación de fondos para la cooperativa de vivienda costeable en Logan Cicle

Washington, D.C. —La Asociación de Inquilinos Norwood realizara una celebración cultural dedicada a la virgen de Guadalupe, se llevara a cabo el sábado 12 de diciembre de las 6:00-9:00 PM en National City Christian Church (5 Thomas Circle NW 20001).

El evento es un reconocimiento de día de la virgen con alfombras de aserrín de la virgen de Guadalupe. Un show de títeres contara la historia de las condiciones de vivienda a bajo costo en el Distrito y la preservación de vivienda de bajo costo en DC. Música de Son Jarocho, y grupo Raíbales de Guatemala. Los niños del Norwood se vestirán en trajes típicos mexicanos y guatemaltecos en una ceremonia de agradecimiento a la virgen. La celebración culminara con una recepción comunitaria. Fondos que se recauden del evento serán para las familias que tienen dificultades para pagar el enganche para la compra del edificio Norwood como vivienda a bajo costo.

“La Asociación de Inquilinos Norwood hemos organizado el proyecto de vivienda cooperativa Norwood para salvar nuestro edificio como vivienda de bajo costo para apoyar este esfuerzo”. Comenta Silvia Salazar.

La señorita Salazar explica “hemos colaborado en otros eventos como ferias de salud y eventos para la prevención de incendios con el departamento de bomberos del distrito de Columbia. Le damos gracias a las organizaciones comunitarias, grupos de abogacía al favor de inquilinos, agencias del gobierno de DC y políticos que han apoyado nuestro esfuerzo y la diversidad de nuestra comunidad”.

El Norwood es un edificio de control de renta con 84 apartamentos en el vecindario Logan Circle, a una distancia de cinco cuadras de la Casa Blanca. La comunidad incluye diversas personas que trabajan en restaurantes, limpiando oficinas en DC, y jóvenes a punto de empezar careras como profesionales. Para más información en inglés sobre la historia y metas de los inquilinos del edificio Norwood, visite www.NorwoodCoOp.org y www.NorwoodTenants.org

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December 12: Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe

2009-11-23T18:15:00.045-05:00

We have been busy getting ready for our cultural celebration dedicated to La Virgen de Guadalupe.

Date:     Saturday, December 12
Time:     6:00-9:00pm
Location: National City Christian Church
        5 Thomas Circle NW, Washington DC, 20005

We will commemorate the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe and will give thanks for the community support we have received. An exhibit of traditional Mayan sawdust paintings in the image of the virgin will be on display. Norwood children will perform a thank you ceremony wearing traditional Mexican and Guatemalan native clothing. A posada puppet show in Spanish and English will be followed by musical performances by Grupo Raíbales, from the Guatemalan highlands, and Son Jarocho from México. Reception to follow. Tickets are $10 per person. Free for children less than 12 years of age. Proceeds from the event will be used toward the purchase of the Norwood apartment building as affordable housing.

Parking available at the Washington Plaza Hotel across from the event. Bring this announcement and pay $7 for parking.

Bus directions: 52, 54, DC Circulator Woodley Park-Adams Morgan-McPherson Square Metro

Metro Directions

McPherson Metro Station (Orange & Blue Lines)
Take the 14th Street exit (14th & I Streets). Walk 3 blocks North on 14th Street to Thomas Circle. The National City Christian Church building is white and has a set of steps in front of the building. Entrance is on 14th Street. Follow the posada signs when you get to Thomas Circle.

Farragut North Metro Station (Red Line)
Take the L Street exit (L Street & Connecticut Avenue). Walk 3 blocks East on L Street to 14th Street. Turn left on 14th Street and walk one block to Thomas Circle. The National City Christian Church building is white and has a set of steps in front of the building. Entrance is on 14th Street. Follow the posada signs when you get to Thomas Circle.

For more information call 202-232-8924 or email us at Norwoodinfo@gmail.com.

Posada del día de la virgen de Guadalupe

Hemos estado ocupados preparandonos para nuestra una celebración cultural dedicada a la virgen de Guadalupe.


Fecha:  sábado 12 de diciembre
Hora:   6:00-9:00 PM
Lugar:  National City Christian Church
      5 Thomas Circle NW, Washington DC, 20005

Estaremos reconociendo y celebrando el día de la virgen con alfombras de aserrín de la virgen de Guadalupe y daremos gracias por el apoyo comunitario que hemos recibido. Los niños del Norwood se vestiran en trajes típicos Mexicanos y Guatemaltecos. Seguido por un show de títeres sobre posadas en inglés y español. Música de Son Jarocho, y grupo Raíbales de Guatemala. Se servirá pan dulce y chocolate. $10 por persona (niños menores de 12 entran gratis). Fondos que se recauden del evento serán para la compra del edificio Norwood como vivienda a bajo costo.

Estacionamiento disponible en el Washington Plaza Hotel en frente de la iglesia. Traiga este anuncio y pague $7 por parking.

Lineas de autobús: 52, 54, y DC Circulator Woodley Park-Adams Morgan-McPherson Square Metro

Metro

McPherson Metro Station (Orange & Blue Lines)
Use la salida "14th Street" (esquina de la calle 14 y la calle I). Camine 3 cuadras hacia el norte en la calle 14 rumbo a Thomas Circle. El edificio de National City Christian Church es de color blanco y tiene gradas en frente del edificio. La entrada esta sobre la calle 14. Siga los rotulos con la palabra posada cuando llegue a Thomas Circle.

Farragut North Metro Station (Red Line)
Use la salida "L Street" (L Street y la Connecticut Avenue). Camine 3 cuadras hacia el este sobre la calle L hasta que llegue a la calle 14. Haga una izquierda en la calle 14 y camine una cuadra rumbo a Thomas Circle. El edificio de National City Christian Church es de color blanco y tiene gradas en frente del edificio. Siga los rotulos con la palabra posada cuando llegue a Thomas Circle.

Para más información, llame al 202-232-8924 o por email Norwoodinfo@gmail.com.

Norwood Tenants Collaborate with DC Department of Health and Organize “Stop Bedbugs” Summit in Washington, DC

2009-03-25T12:15:00.004-04:00

Meeting to Establish Stop Bedbugs DC, A Unified Campaign Against Bedbugs

The Norwood Tenant Association is collaborating with the District of Columbia Department of Health to organize a summit to address the problem of bedbugs in Washington, DC. The tenants at the Norwood got involved in advocating for a community approach to bedbug infestations after a multi-year battle against infestation at their own building. After the Norwood tenant organizers presented their work regarding education and pest control strategies at a public meeting in July, 2008, the group was approached by the DC Department of Health to help design a campaign to address bedbugs throughout the District.

The goal of the summit is to learn about bedbug biology, bedbug control, and to establish a DC wide task force that will address enforcement, education, data collection, and legislative approaches. Presenters will include Dr. Dini M. Miller, Associate Professor, Dodson Urban Pest Management Laboratory at Virginia Tech, Ray Lopez, the 2008 recipient of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Community Health Leader Award for his innovative approaches on controlling bedbugs without using pesticides, as well as representatives from the pest management industry who will share the latest industry approaches. The summit will take place on Friday, March 27, 2009, at 441 4th Street NW, Room 1107 from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

In the last decade, bedbugs have been making a comeback in major American cities. There are lessons to be learned from the cities that have taken on the problem as a matter of public policy, including New York, Chicago, Cincinnati, Boston, San Francisco and Toronto. It is now clear that a multilevel task force must be implemented to address the problem in our nation's capital. Combating an infestation of the tiny insects, which prey on human hosts while they sleep, can quickly add up to thousands of dollars and sleepless nights for those who suffer with them. Members of the Norwood Tenant Association have documented some of these struggles in a recent feature bedbug cover story in the January 30, 2009 issue of the Washington City Paper.

Bedbugs don't discriminate; they affect residents in high end luxury apartments, as well as those in more modest dwellings. In dealing with bedbugs, residents in DC often find they are fighting an uphill battle in trying to find the correct response to the problem. Even well meaning landlords may not be fully educated in proper pest control practices, and as a result they risk contributing to the spread of the bugs in neighboring apartments and homes. Working together, Stop Bedbugs DC will promote a unified approach to address the resurgence of bedbugs in Washington, DC.

The summit will establish various stakeholder groups that are affected by bedbugs, and empower them to take action to combat the problem. This event will also include discussion of legislative and enforcement approaches, as well as citizen involvement through tenant groups, senior and public housing, and educational outreach through government and local businesses on the front lines of the community.

The first district-wide summit has been organized with the help of the Department of Health, with special thanks to Peggy Keller and Gerard Brown with the DC Department of Health, David Fabian, Silvia Inéz Salazar, Eunyoung Lim, and Randy Green of the Norwood Tenants Association, and consultations from Renee Corea of New York vs. Bedbugs, and Jessica Kevan of Chicago vs. Bedbugs.

Tenants organize health fair for residents with no health insurance

2009-03-18T20:40:00.008-04:00

LOGAN CIRCLE, WASHINGTON DC-Saturday, March 14th, from 9:00 am-12:00 pm, the Norwood Tenants Association will be partnering with the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs, Mary’s Center and La Clínica del Pueblo to host a community health fair at the National City Christian Church, 5 Thomas Circle, NW. The health fair will include free preventive eye care exams, information about HIV/AIDS prevention, and women’s health screenings. Volunteers will be on hand to help families and individuals sign up for DC Alliance Health Insurance.

In this current economic downturn, many working families have lost their health insurance. The Norwood tenants are among the 76,000 Washingtonians who find themselves with no health coverage. There are options for these families to obtain low cost or even free coverage through the DC Alliance Health Insurance program. The most important way to protect children and families is to provide accurate information and access to key preventative services.

“The Norwood Tenants Association is holding this event as part of our effort to address the needs of our community,” says co-President David Fabian. Fabian explains that as a result of organizing, the tenants at the Norwood have learned firsthand that many fellow tenants are in need of something more than just a roof over their heads. As the tenants’ ongoing efforts to improve building conditions at the Norwood continue, the health of the community also depends upon improving access to health care services and health education.

The Norwood is an 84 unit rent-controlled building in the Logan Circle neighborhood, five blocks from the White House. Our community includes diverse working families who work in the service industry as waiters at restaurants, cleaning offices in downtown DC, and young working professionals.

Tenants Take Back the Neighborhood: Fight "Condozilla"

2008-12-13T13:55:00.001-05:00

Norwood Tenants Honor Diversity, Community and Successful Year with Celebration and Performance

Thomas Circle, Washington, DC– On Sunday December 14th, 5-7 pm at the National City Christian Church, the tenants of the Norwood Tenants Association will come together to celebrate victories in organizing, and honor our diversity with a multicultural holiday party. The festivities will also include the play Condozilla, starring the children of the Norwood Apartments.

The Celebration reflects the diverse backgrounds and eclectic tastes of the residents. The festivities will incorporate elements of a 'Posada,' a traditional Latino Christmas celebration, in addition to=2 0the premiere of "Condozilla," an English and Spanish language play about the DC condo conversion craze. "It's great to see the whole building getting involved in this celebration; from the feature d music talent, to the kids starring in the play, it will be Norwood on display this Sunday" said Silvia Salazar, co-President of the tenants associati on.

What: Holiday celebration and "posada," live music, play in Spanish/English
When: Sunday, December 14, 5pm-7pm
Who: Tenants of the Norwood Apartments, Logan Circle
Where: National City Christian Church (5 Thomas Cir NW), Miller Hall

The Norwood Tenants Association launched the Norwood Cooperative Project to preserve their building as affordable housing; the holiday celebration is being planned to highlight this effort. David Fabian, co-President of the tenant's association added, "We're looking to form a cooperative because we truly value diversity here at the Norwood, as demonstrated by this multicultural celebration. Keeping our homes afford able, and securing the future of the building, will be a great opportunity to preserve quality workforce housing in the heart of Washington."

In addition, the Norwood tenants have organized other events to strengthen their community by hosting a health fair and fire prevention event with the DC Fire Department. The Norwood tenants extends special thanks to the community organizations, tenant advocacy groups, DC government agencies and elected officials that have supported their commitment to improve building conditions and to preserve the diverse community at the Norwood.

The Norwood is an 84 unit rent-controlled building in the Logan Circle neighborhood, five blocks from the White House. Our community includes diverse working families who work in the s ervice industry as waiters at restaurants, cleaning offices in downtown DC, and young working professionals. For more information on the tenant purchase and Co-op, visit www.NorwoodCoOp.org.

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Norwood Holiday Celebration & Posada

2008-12-13T13:00:00.000-05:00

December 14, 2008
Click image to view detailed program:

Norwood Tenants Address Lack of Health Insurance

2008-07-07T19:08:00.000-04:00

WHO: Norwood Tenant Association, the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs (OLA), Planned Parenthood, and the Hispanic Institute for Blindness Prevention
WHAT: Community Health Fair
WHEN: Tuesday, July 8, 2008 from 1:00pm to 6:00pm
WHERE: 1417 N St NW

On Tuesday, July 8^th, the Norwood Tenants Association will be partnering with Planned Parenthood, Hispanic Institute for Blindness Prevention, and the Mayor’s Office on Latino Affairs to host a community health fair in the lobby of 1417 N Street, NW. The health fair will include free preventive eye care exams, information about HIV/AIDS prevention, and volunteers to help families and individuals sign up for DC Alliance Health Insurance.

Many kids and working families at the Norwood Apartments do not have health insurance, much like the 76,000 Washingtonians who find themselves in a similar situation despite working one or more full time jobs. However there are options for these families to obtain low cost or even free coverage through the DC Alliance Health Insurance program. The most important way to protect kids and families is to provide accurate information and access to key preventative services.

“The Norwood Tenants Association is holding this event as part of our ongoing commitment to the people in our community,” says co-President Silvia Salazar. Salazar explains that as a result of organizing, the tenants at the Norwood have learned firsthand that many fellow tenants are in need of something more than just a roof over their heads. As the tenants’ ongoing efforts to improve building conditions at the Norwood continue, the health of the community also depends upon improving access to health care services and health education.

In April 2008 the Norwood Tenants Association partnered with the DC Fire Prevention Bureau to host a neighborhood fire safety awareness event. The DC Fire Department inspected the Norwood and a neighboring apartment building, finding and replacing 48 non-working smoke detectors in the buildings. In July 2007, tenants faced over 30 days at the Norwood without a working elevator. The tenants association held a lemonade gathering to provide support and information for fellow tenants. Lemonade will be served at the health fair as a reminder that many building problems, including bedbugs and mold, persist.

The Norwood apartment building was included in the recent Washington Post series, “Forced Out,” about deteriorating rent-controlled buildings targeted for condo conversion (“The Profit In Decay” 3-19-08). The tenants of the Norwood said ‘no’ to a condo pitch by the Tenacity Group in January 2007, and instead demanded that problems be fixed ‘today.’ Tenants at the Norwood call for an end to persistent housing code violations, and remain committed to preserving affordable housing.

Dealing with Bedbugs: Tips

2008-06-10T22:01:00.000-04:00

After dealing with bedbugs at the Norwood Apartments for many years, we have become unofficial bedbug experts. Despite our efforts there are still many apartments with bedbugs, and without organized bedbug extermination throughout the building, we fear it will be a long time before they are completely eradicated from the building.

Although bedbugs cannot be completely killed in one shot, if you stick to proven strategies you can win your battle with the critters.

Getting help from your building management or local exterminator should be your first step, but YOU CAN DO-IT-YOURSELF if you're not getting a quick or adequate response. The tenants association at the Norwood has researched the proper chemicals and do-it-yourself methods online, and we have taken up a collection from tenants to assist them when bedbugs invade.

The most important thing to do is not get overwhelmed or embarrassed if you find out you have bedbugs. They were all but eliminated from American homes the 1950's with the widespread use of the pesticide called DDT. Since the 1990's, however, bedbugs have started to return in force.

Step 1: Educate Yourself, Then Do Something About The Problem!

There are many reliable resources on bedbugs available online. From academic research to blogs, there is a wealth of information and products available. Please see the Bedbugs Link section below for more information.

DISCLAIMER: The content in this page is not a substitute for professional advice. If you think you have bedbugs, please consult an extermination professional and your landlord if applicable.

Top Bedbug myths

If you get bedbugs is because you're dirty.

FALSE!! Hygiene and cleanliness have nothing to do with bedbugs. They have been found in the best hotels, in popular neighborhoods and in nice, as well as 'problem' buildings.

Bedbugs just 'came back' a couple years ago.

FALSE!! Bedbugs, though less common a decade ago, have been with humans since we left the caves. Bedbugs are sneaky and fast, they'll hide for long periods, waiting for the right time to bite you when you're sleeping.

You can't get rid of bedbugs, it's too expensive, difficult and the pesticides don't exist.

WRONG!! The pesticides to control bedbugs are available online, and you don't even need a license to buy them. If you follow all the steps completely, you can control and even eliminate the problem.

What to Do TODAY!

You can use bug spray (like OFF! or anything with DEET) on your entire body as a temporary measure to repel bedbugs. Some people have also used natural essential oils such as lavender, lemon, or neme oil on their bodies and their bedding.
Buy a mattress cover (must be anti-dust mite) to encase your mattress and prevent bedbugs from getting out.
Find out if your neighbors have bedbugs. Together you can determine how widespread the problem is and bring it to the attention of your landlord and hopefully come up with a strategy to get rid of the bedbugs

How to Do-It-Yourself

Purchase a spray that contains Deltamethrin at your local hardware store or online. This will kill and draw out the bedbugs from their hiding places. Make sure to spray mattresses, furniture, drapes, floors, baseboards. The spray comes ready made or mix-it-yourself.
Purchase a powder/dust such as Drione Dust which contain Pyrethrins (derived from flowers). Apply the powder (AFTER spray from step 1 has dried) to baseboards, mattresses, behind picture frames, around the bed, and in the bathroom where bedbugs go for water. As the bugs crawl over the dust, it will dry them out and kill them. The powder has a lasting effect for months and will supplement the spraying.
Make sure in the mean time to wash clothes and sheets in hot water, remove clutter where bedbugs can hide (consider getting plastic containers for storage of documents and clothes).

Bedbug Links

Academic info
http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/bed_bugs.htm Penn State
http://www.ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/pdfs/bedBugs.pdf Penn State
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/bedbugs/ Harvard
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2105.html Ohio Sate
http://www.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef636.asp Univ of Kentucky
http://mayoclinic.com/health/bedbugs/DS00663 Mayo clinic
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/bedbugs-topic-overview Web Md
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol11no04/04-1126.htm CDC
http://kidshealth.org/kid/ill_injure/bugs/bedbug.html Kids health

Bedbugs in the News
http://paipm.cas.psu.edu/1427.htm (Pen state news article about bedbugs)
http://a.abcnews.com/US/story?id=90005 (ABC news)
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/19/nyregion/19bedbugs.html?_r=1&oref=slogin (NY times)
http://www.wftv.com/news/15032105/detail.html (Bedbugs a Dysneyland hotel)
http://www1.umn.edu/umnnews/Feature_Stories/Bloodthirsty_travelers3A_Bedbugs_are_biting_again.html?enewsemail (university of Minnesota)
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/02/nyregion/02bedb.html?ex=1383109200&en=0c8b915eb62d9bba&ei=5007&partner=USERLAND&pagewanted=print
http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2005/04/04/050404ta_talk_singer

Blogs
http://bedbugsnyc.blogspot.com/2006/09/bed-bug-city-council-hearing.html
http://bedbugsnyc.blogspot.com/2008/06/how-to-tell-friend-about-your-bed-bug.html How to tell a friend that you have bedbugs
http://bedbugger.com/
http://www.mahalo.com/Bed_bugs

Norwood Tenants Plan Community Event to Demand Fire Safety: Sat. 4/12 (Español abajo)

2008-04-11T17:11:00.000-04:00

WHO: Councilmember Kwame Brown, Norwood Tenant Association, DC Fire Marshall, the Mayor's Office on Latino Affairs (OLA), the DC Metropolitan Police, TENAC, the Latino Economic Development Corporation (LEDC)
WHAT: Community safety event and education fairWHEN: Saturday April 12th from 2 to 3 pm
WHERE: Closed off street in front of 1417 N St NW

In the shadow of a recent five-alarm apartment fire in Mount Pleasant at a building with over 7,000 housing code violations, tenants remain concerned about fire safety. The tenants at the Norwood Apartments have organized a community safety event and education fair this Saturday to increase fire safety awareness in the Logan Circle neighborhood. As we learned from Mount Pleasant, a fire can affect an entire neighborhood, not just 'problem' buildings. The event will take place this Saturday April 12th from 2 to 3 pm on the street in front of 1417 N Street NW.

Tenants at the Norwood are concerned about the numerous gaps in fire safety in the building, and potential hidden hazards in other buildings, and they don't want to become another fire tragedy. On April 2nd 2008 the DC Fire Marshal found problems at the Norwood with smoke detectors, fire doors that do not close property, and exposed electrical wires hanging in the basement. As a result of these findings, the DC Fire Marshal will go door-to-door to conduct an inspection of the Norwood and surrounding apartment buildings on N Street NW to identify and abate potential dangers.

The Norwood Tenant Association is collaborating on the issue of fire safety in rent-controlled buildings with the DC Fire Marshall, the Mayor's Office on Latino Affairs (OLA), the DC Metropolitan Police, TENAC, the Latino Economic Development Corporation (LEDC) and tenants associations across the city. This partnership is a positive step towards improving fire safety and will raise awareness about deteriorating and unsafe conditions in the neighborhood. Tenants are demonstrating solidarity by wearing white T-shirts on the day of the event.

DC Councilman Kwame Brown will lead a delegation of DC elected officials and agencies on a tour of the poor living conditions that some tenants are forced to endure at the Norwood.

The DC Fire Prevention Bureau and other DC government agencies will conduct an education fair on N Street NW. Additionally, three fire insurance providers will be on hand to provide information on low cost fire and renters insurance for tenants. Landlords' insurance only covers the walls of the apartment building, and in the event of a tragic fire tenants face losing everything they own unless they are insured.

The Norwood apartment building was included in the recent Washington Post series, "Forced Out," about deteriorating rent-controlled buildings targeted for condo conversion ("The Profit In Decay" 3-19-08). The tenants of the Norwood said 'no' to a condo pitch by the Tenacity Group in January 2007, and instead demanded that problems be fixed 'today.' Tenants at the Norwood call for an end to persistent housing code violations, and remain committed to preserving affordable housing.

_______________________________________________________

Quiénes: Concejal Kwame Brown, Asociación de Inquilinos del Norwood, Departamento de Bomberos de DC, la oficina de asuntos latinos(OLA), el departamento de Policía, TENAC, la Corporación Latina para el Desarrollo Económico (LEDC)
Qué: Evento comunitario de seguridad y feria educativa.
Cuándo: Sabado April 12 de Abril de 2 a 3 de la tarde.Dónde: Cierre de calle frente al 1417 N St NW

Inquilinos del Norwood planean evento comunitario y exigen seguridad en contra de incendios.

Después de el reciente incendio de categoría 5 que termino con un edificio de apartamentos en que tenia más de 7,000 violaciones al código de vivienda, los residentes se encuentran preocupados por su seguridad. Los inquilinos del Norwood han organizado un evento comunitario de seguridad y una feria educativa este sábado para incrementar la seguridad en caso de incendio en el vecindario de Logan Circle. Lo que aprendimos del incendio de la Mount Pleasant, es que el incendio puede afectar vecindarios completos, no solo a edificios que están en problema. El evento se efectuará este sábado 12 de Abril de 2 a 3 de la tarde en frente del 1417 N Street NW.

Los inquilinos del Norwood están preocupados por las deficiencias que existen en el edificio, por la falta de seguridad en caso de incendio, y ellos no quieren llegar a ser parte de una tragedia. El 2 de Abril el departamento de bomberos encontraron problemas en el Norwood con detectores de humo, puertas de emergencia que no cierran apropiadamente y cables eléctricos sueltos en el sótano. Como resultado de estas violaciones encontradas, el departamento de bomberos irá puerta por puerta para verificar que todos los departamentos del Norwood y de algunos edificios de departamentos vecinos ubicados en la calle N, NW para identificar y terminar con peligros potenciales.

La Asociación de Inquilinos del Norwood colabora en la prevención de incendios en edificios de renta control con el departamento de bomberos del distrito de columbia, la Oficina de asuntos (OLA por sus siglas en inglés), la policía metropolitana, TENAC, Latino Economic Development Corporation (LEDC) y asociaciones de inquilinos de la ciudad. Trabajando juntos damos un paso adelante para mejorar la seguridad en caso de incendio. Los inquilinos están demostrado su solidaridad usando playeras blancas el día del evento.

El concejal de DC Kwame Brown encabezará una caminata por el edificio con las autoridades de DC y a otras agencias, para ser testigos de las malas condiciones en las que viven varios inquilinos del Norwood.

El departamento de bomberos y otras agencias del gobierno de D.C llevarán a cabo una feria informativa en la calle N St. NW. Se distribuirá información de agencias que proveen seguros en casa de incendio a bajo costo. El seguro del dueño solo cubre las paredes del edificio de departamentos, en caso de una tragedia como un incendio los inquilinos son responsables de sus pertenencias, al menos que estas estén aseguradas.

El edificio Norwood fue incluido en una serie de artículos publicados por el periódico Washington Post sobre el mal estado de edificios que iban a ser convertidos en condominios. Los inquilinos del Norwood rechazaron la propuesta de condominios en enero del 2007 y exigieron que se arreglaran los problemas.

The problem: Unsafe living conditions

2008-03-09T05:26:00.000-04:00

The Washington Post has documented dozens of cases of tenants being forced out as their homes were cleared to make way for high-end condos (The Profit in Decay, 3-9-08)

Bed Bugs
DC government housing inspectors, Div. of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA), issued housing code violations for building-wide bed bug infestations in 2006 and 2007. Children are bitten by bed bugs on a regular basis. Meanwhile, bed bugs continue to thrive.

We find bed bugs like these on a regular basis.

Elevator
There is only one elevator in our seven-story building. Tenants are frequently trapped in the elevator, and each year the elevator breaks down for months at a time. Last July, during the hottest month of the summer, the elevator was out of service for 31 days.

The non-working elevator creates a hardship for tenants who are forced to carry groceries, strollers and bikes up the stairs. Seniors and people with chronic health conditions are most affected because they have even more difficulty taking the stairs. One senior who lives on the 5th floor has to carry his oxygen tank up the stairs, while another on the 6th floor has asthma attacks when he is forced to take the stairs. A tenant from the 7th floor on crutches was also forced to live without the elevator for a month. As a result of the elevator problems, many tenants are trapped in their apartments when the elevator is not working.

Management blames the elevator problems on old age, however, there are other 75 year-old elevators in DC that work properly because they receive regular maintenance.

Mold
Excessive hazardous amounts of mold exist throughout the building. Entire walls and rooms are covered in mold. Pictures taken on March 8, 2007.

The DC Department of the Environment conducted an investigation in March of 2007 and found excessive amounts of mold which causes respiratory health problems for seniors and children.

Residents who live in apartments with excessive levels mold such as children and seniors, have reported respiratory problems including persistent coughs, runny noses, and allergies.

During the past two years, three managment companies have managed the Norwood, Fleetwood Management, Dreyfuss Management and Cap City Management. These companies remove the mold by simply painting over it. The paint does not stay on the walls and simply peels away underneath the mold as seen in the pictures above.

One year later, March 2008, the mold has not been removed.

About Us

2008-03-08T22:55:00.000-05:00

We are the tenants of the 1417 N Street, NW, the Norwood Apartments, a rent-controlled building just five blocks from the White House. The Norwood is our home. Some of us have lived here as long as thirty years and raised our families here. We watched as the Norwood was stripped of its Art Deco ornamentation in the 1980s. And we have seen the rest of our seven-story building deteriorate since while rents continue to increase each year.

In January 2007, the Tenacity Group met with us to present us with their condo pitch offer which included a possible buyout. They said they would follow the condo conversion laws and would pay us between $5,000 - $15,000 thousand dollars per apartment to vacate our homes. They intended to convert the Norwood into condominiums.

At first, many of us considered leaving. We have lived with cockroaches, bed bugs, mold, mice, and an antiquated, frequently broken elevator for years. The opportunity to leave seemed a welcome opportunity.

Shortly before the buyout offer, we had formed a tenants' association. Our association was a bit splintered at first. We came from a broad variety of nationalities and backgrounds. Our meetings were conducted in English and Spanish, with further simultaneous translation to facilitate communication. But together we sought redress from our landlord for the wretched condition into which the Norwood had fallen.

Membership in our tenants' association grew after we received a condo pitch offer from the Teancity Group. We spent weeks debating the offer. It seemed weak; $5,000-$15,000 was a pittance in comparison to the millions of dollars in profits our landlord would make from the condo conversion. And it seemed a nominal amount for the work and expense involved in relocating our homes. Most importantly, we felt that turning over the the building would be a reward to our landlord for years of intentional neglect. After much discussion, we decided to focus on fixing the problems in our building before any more conversations about condo conversion.

It seems foolish to hold on to housing in such poor condition as ours. But we have a larger vision:our goal is to preserve the Norwood as permanent affordable housing. After all, this is our community and our hope is to divorce ourselves from our slumlord; create for ourselves the decent living conditions we have been denied; and create a supportive community within our neighborhood.

We have three consolidated lawsuits against our landlord in the DC Office of Administrative Hearings in response to his negligence. We have a second suit against him in Superior Court because he threatened our organizers with eviction, in clear violation of the 2006 Right to Organize Act. Currently, we are hoping our landlord will honor his offer to sell us the building under Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA).

Saving our homes: What we've done so far

2008-03-08T20:21:00.000-05:00

The 1417 N St, NW (Norwood Tenant Association) was created in late 2005 when tenants decided to come together to discuss maintenance problems. As we began to organize, we learned that in order to reach our goals to improve living conditions we needed community support.

In order to reach our goals we:

Learned about bed bugs and how to exterminate them.
Started a bed bug collection fund among tenants so that we could purchase extermination chemicals to kill bed bugs.
Educated ourselves and tenants about how to detect and control bed bugs.
Filed three lawsuits (aka Tenant Petitions) against Fleetwood Management and our landlord in September of 2006. We filed two additional lawsuits in April 2007.
Wrote numerous letters to our landlord, management company, DC Mayor Adrian Fenty, and DC city council members.
Reached out to the media to bring attention to the problems at the Norwood.
Learned about our rights as tenants by reaching out to the DC tenant advocacy organizations such as TENAC, the DC Office of the Tenant Advocate (OTA), the Latino Economic Development Corporation (LEDC), and EmpowerDC.

We educated and empowered ourselves and came to the realization that we could also help other tenant associations throughout DC. We have shared our story by visiting other buildings that were being targeted for possible condo conversion. We met with various tenant associations and eventually we helped establish the District of Columbia Tenants Rights Alliance a coalition representing 20 buildings (and 1,000 families) throughout DC for protecting affordable housing.

DC Government Response: Seeking Enforcement

2008-03-06T18:16:00.000-05:00

Like other tenants mentioned in the recent March 2008 Washington Post article series "The profit in Decay," and "A failure in enforcement," the Norwood Tenant Asociation has dedicated its efforts to fix numerous housing code violations by working with the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) with little to no progress.

DCRA has conducted two building-wide housing inspections at the Norwood in September 2006 and June 2007. Over 300 housing code violations were cited but have not been enforced. The potential fines were assessed at over $200,000, however as of today, the DCRA has only collected $1,000 for the elevator being out of service in July 2007.

Inspectors have repeatedly cited the Norwood for mold, building-wide bed bug, roach and mice infestations, crumbling walls, exposed electrical wires in common areas of the building, fire code violations, malfunctioning heaters, no working air conditioners and the malfunctioning elevator with little or no enfocement.

In March 2007, the DC Department of the Environmen t conducted a mold inspection. The report concluded that there were dangerous levels of mold that affect the respiratory health of children, seniors and people with compromised health conditions. Unfortunately, the inspector who completed the mold report report did not deliver a copy to the management company or the landlord.

The tenants of the Norwood have worked with the Mayor's Office on Latino Affairs (OLA), and the Office of the Tenant Advocate (OTA) to call for inspections and to seek support. Unfortunately many of our biggest problems are still unresolved.

We have been successful at organizing our community and educating our neighbors about our rights and ways to address our problems. The DC government is well aware of the problems at the Norwood, yet many problems persist.

We ask ourselves if the city will not compel landlords to maintain their rental buildings, what other recourse to we tenants have? We hope that community and city support will bring further attention to the problems, and address the problem of unresponsive landlords and management companies throughout the District. We have the right to safe and decent housing.

Norwood in the News...

2008-03-06T04:09:00.000-05:00

March 9, 2008- The Washington Post
Forced Out: The profit in decay-Landlords who empty buildings of tenants reap extra benefit under law

March 9, 2008 - The Washington Post
The wrong side of renewal (Slides 8 & 14): Tenants say they have been pushed out, sometimes by bad building conditions.

August 18, 2007 - The Afro American Newspaper
District residents resist condo conversion

July 19, 2007 - WAMU (NPR)
Norwood Tenants
Tenants at the Norwood Apartments in Northwest DC are trying to take their fight for better building conditions to the city council.

July 13, 2007 - WAMU (NPR)
Norwood Apartment living conditions
Tenants at the Norwood Apartments in Northwest DC are protesting hazardous living conditions in their building.

July 11, 2007 - WUSA 9 (CBS)
Broken Elevator Is Hardship For Tenants
Amid affordable housing crunch, D.C. tenants resist going condo

May 27, 2007 - Washington DC Associated Press
Amid affordable housing crunch, D.C. tenants resist going condo

Feb 27, 2007 - Washington DC Examiner
Tenants-rights group planning forum

DC Home and Condo Prices: Rectify your "mistake"

2008-03-01T15:45:00.000-05:00

DC Home and Condo Prices: Rectify your "mistake"
http://www.norwoodtenants.org/

10 Families Without Heat at Norwood

2007-12-07T15:10:00.000-05:00

UPDATE: Special thanks to the Mayor's Office on Latino Affairs (OLA). On Friday, December 9th, nine provisional space heaters were delivered to the Norwood by OLA staff. The residents of the Norwood are grateful for this show of support, and we hope for a permanent fix soon.

Now that the cold weather is upon us, ten families at the Norwood have no heat this winter. Management tweaks the heaters after the District of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) housing inspectors cite them, but the heaters always break. Therefore, we are requesting brand new heaters for those in need.

One tenant has had no heat for the past 4 years. Because of a persistent gas leak in his apartment, he is afraid to use a space heater; he instead covers up with blankets to keep warm. He testified about this in our lawsuit against the owner and management company.

We have contacted the DCRA, and we hope that all residents at the Norwood will soon have heat this winter. We are also asking the DCRA to be on the lookout for other outstanding problems in the building which continue to persist.

Court Update, Problems Persist...

2007-11-29T00:03:00.001-05:00

We have finished presenting our case for the tenant petition (lawsuit) we filed against the management company and landlord in the DC Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH).

The Management company will present their case in the OAH at 941 North Capitol Street, January 9-10, 2008.

Ten tenants have testified about the unsafe and unsanitary conditions they are forced to live with, including:

-Living with mice and roaches.
-Bedbug infestations in their apartments. One tenant testified about finding a bedbug nest under his bed.
-Walking up 7 flights of stairs on crutches because the elevator was broken for 31 days.
-Children being bitten by bedbugs.
-Having no heat or A/C.
-Mold infestations along living room and bedroom walls.
-Stoves leaking gas.

We hope the management finally ushers in some much needed repairs in the new year.

For now, we request, and we wait...

To contact us, please email Norwoodinfo@Gmail.com

Op-Ed: Would you pay $200k for an apartment with bedbugs, no heat, and no working elevator?

2007-11-16T19:39:00.000-05:00

UPDATE: Norwood to be featured on "Metro Watch" with Gloria Minott
Tune in Thursday, Nov. 29 at 9:35am-WPFW FM 89.3 Washington, DC and Around the World here.

DC Mayor Adrian Fenty unveiled his plan for Affordable housing earlier this week. The plan is decidedly long overdue for the District, but it could represent a refreshing step forward in the battle to preserve and build our affordable housing stock.

The Norwood tenants are most interested in the Mayor's plan to combat slumlords who profit at the peril of tenants:

"Another part of the mayor's plan is to prevent slumlords from converting deteriorated apartment buildings into high-priced condominiums. The legislation will be prepared by the Fenty administration to prevent landlords with persistent and unaddressed housing code violations from raising rents in rent-controlled buildings and from converting the building into condominiums to be sold at market rate."

We have penned the "Letter to the Editor" below to highlight the story of one building which represents many. We all have the right to safe and decent housing, a fact that is sometimes blurred by greed and apathy.

Would you pay $200k for an apartment with bedbugs, no heat, and no working elevator?

We are tenants at the Norwood apartments in Logan Circle. The city has cited our building with over 300 housing code violations in the last 14 months. As rents continue to increase, bedbugs, mold and a non-working elevator continue to worsen. Instead of addressing the Norwood’s problems, our absentee landlord sent developers to pitch condo conversion.

Mayor Fenty recently unveiled his plan to preserve affordable housing and prevent slumlords from converting deteriorating apartment buildings into high-end condos.

In the two years since we organized the Norwood Tenants Association, we have seen that the problems in our apartments are not unique. Indeed, our problems are replicated thousands of times throughout the city. We learned this by reaching out and partnering with community organizations such as the DC Tenant Advocacy Coalition (TENAC), the Latino Economic Development Corporation (LEDC), and the DC Office of the Tenant Advocate. As a result, we helped establish the DC Tenants Rights Alliance, a coalition of twenty deteriorating rent-controlled buildings across the city who are fighting off condo conversion attempts.

Despite our efforts to improve the unsafe conditions in our home, a building-wide bed bug infestation and other housing violations thrive. We continue to receive yearly rent increases with no improvements, and are presently engaged in multiple lawsuits against our slum lord.

Last may, our slum lord, offered us the building for the outrageous price of $12 million, “as is.” Our slumlord now wants to be rewarded for neglecting the building by squeezing the last bit of residual value from the declining real estate market.

It is critical that the city enforce the law that prohibits landlords from raising rents where there are persistent and unaddressed housing code violations. Today landlords take nearly automatic rent increases, regardless of problems. Tenants' only recourse is then to enter into a lengthy and expensive lawsuit process. The Mayor’s new plan supports tenants’ rights and saves money by prohibiting improper rent increases and illegal condo conversions before they happen.

The Mayor’s proposal gives us new hope. Someone is listening to the thousands of families in DC who grasp at the diminishing stock of affordable housing in the face of opportunistic developers and bad landlords. We urge the City Council to back the Mayor’s proposal, and to expand the focus beyond the four neighborhoods cited by the Mayor’s affordable housing protection team.

Buying our building may be the only way to preserve our affordable housing and to fix our problems. The city should budget part of the projected surplus funds for tenant purchases, co-ops and affordable condo options.

Norwood Tenants Association

David Fabian
Silvia Salazar
Randy Green
Henry Jones

Norwood Tenants Association Has 'Their Day(s) in Court'

2007-11-09T14:06:00.000-05:00

The Norwood tenants have been on overdrive since the Summer of no elevator in the face of landlord intimidation tactics. We have already had several hearings for our consolidated tenant petitions, and several tenants have had the chance to speak out about their problems in court. Our next hearing dates are November 13th and 14th, 2007.

On November 30th, 2007, we will have our first hearing in DC Superior Court for the Right to Organize case. As we mentioned earlier this Summer, the landlord served Norwood tenant organizers with papers demanding they quit holding meetings to organize tenants, a clear violation of the DC Tenants Right to Organize Act of 2006.

As a result of these intimidation tactics by the landlord, Norwood Tenant's Association board members, David Fabian and Randy Green, have filed the first lawsuit under the 2006 Tenant Right to Organize Act. The Norwood tenants hope to prove once and for all that tenants have an absolute right to organize and meet in their buildings.

We look forward to updating you about the progress of our lawsuits, and we encourage you to 'stay tuned' to the Norwood!

Norwood Completes Marathon 26-Hour Tenant Meeting

2007-08-01T12:58:00.000-04:00

After our record 26 hour marathon tenant association meeting from July 31st to August 1, 2007, going without a working elevator for 31 days, and catching up on much-needed sleep, we are glad to report that our marathon tenant association meeting was a success.

After starting the at 4pm last Sunday, we set up outside the building to spread the message of tenant rights and unsafe and unsanitary conditions that we are still living with in the Norwood. We posted signs, handed out fliers about tenants' rights to organize, and allowed people to sign our petition to Mayor Fenty in support of the 2006 Tenants Right to Organize Act.

At 3:00 am Monday, we even witnessed live bedbugs marching down the first floor hallway. By 6:30 pm on Monday, we closed out a fantastic meeting, helping to raise awareness about affordable housing, tenants' rights, and conditions at the Norwood.

Neighbors, community groups such as TENAC and LEDC, and Norwood residents expressed their support by sending emails, calling, bringing food, water, signs, money donations, and most importantly moral support. Various media outlets stopped by, including WJLA 7, Univision, and WPFW radio.

We still need your support to finally bring the Norwood into full compliance with the DC housing code. Please contact us if you would like to help or make a donation at the top of this page.

Petition to Support the DC "Right of Tenants to Organize" Law

2007-07-29T20:23:00.000-04:00

Show your support for the tenants at the Norwood in the face of lanlord intimidation tactics. There is already a law protecting tenants rights in the District, we are demanding that it be enforced. Leave a comment and we will deliver it to Mayor Fenty with the petition.

July 29, 2007
Dear Mayor Fenty:

The “Right of Tenants to Organize” law became effective on September 19, 2006. This law gives tenants the right to organize, meet in common lobby areas, and post information regarding tenant rights and general tenant association activities.

I support this law, and oppose the illegal and abusive actions of landlords to intimidate, harass, evict, and prevent tenants from organizing. Please enforce the law and support the Norwood tenants by defending their right to organize.
------------------------
29 de julio de 2007
Estimado Alcalde Fenty:

La ley “Derechos de los inquilinos para organizarse” entro en vigencia el 19 de septiembre de 2006. Esta ley de otorga el derecho as los inquilinos para que se organicen, reunirse en el edificio y compartir información sobre los derechos de inquilinos y asuntos de la asociación de inquilinos.

Yo apoyo esta ley, y me opongo a la intimidación y acciones ilegales abusivas departe de los dueños contra los inquilinos incluyendo, molestar, y desalojar a los inquilinos porque se están organizando. Por favor haga que se cumpla con la ley y apoye a los inquilinos del edificio Norwood prestando su apoyo defendiendo sus derechos para organizarse.

Tenants Hold Marathon 24-Hour Meeting to Exercise Their Rights

2007-07-29T03:01:00.000-04:00

For Immediate Release: July 29, 2007

Norwood Owners Again Threaten Tenants With Eviction

Norwood tenant association organizers are again being threatened with eviction, after a lemonade sit-in protesting a month-long broken elevator. In response, the association is holding a twenty-four hour marathon meeting in the building lobby from Sunday, July 29 at 4p.m. until Monday July 30 at 4p.m., to educate tenants of their rights to organize without fear of intimidation or eviction threats from property owners.

The City's 2006 Tenants Right to Organize Act, sponsored by Councilmember Jim Graham, gives tenants the right to organize for their common welfare, to meet in building common areas, and to distribute literature. Building owners are subject to a $10,000 civil fine for each instance of interference with their rights to organize.

Despite this, on July 24, selected Norwood tenants received thirty-day eviction notices from owner's attorney Kevin Kane, demanding that tenants stop "loitering" and refrain from using the lobby for any organizing purposes.

"We are holding this twenty-four hour marathon meeting to demonstrate District tenants’ rights, and to tell the owners these rights cannot be violated,” notes board member Randy Green. Affordable rental housing continues to be a dwindling commodity in D.C. as landlords are on a condominium conversion binge, threatening both safe and habitable housing while ignoring their legal obligations to maintain buildings. The Norwood is a prime example. After The Tenacity Group proposed condo conversion in January 2007, tenants rejected the offer, and building conditions have markedly deteriorated.

As is their legal right, Norwood tenants want a safe and decent place to live, such as a working elevator and an end to grave vermin infestation problems. The association says NO to intimidation, YES to lemonade in the lobby, and YES to tenant organization.

After lemonade: Norwood Owners Try to Evict Tenants

2007-07-26T11:30:00.000-04:00

On Tuesday, July 24th, two Norwood Tenants Association board members were served with a quit or vacate letter from the owner's attorney, Kevin Kane..

RELATED: See Norwood Tenants Say "We're Not Leaving"

The letter states that tenants were in violation of their lease and demands that tenants stop "loitering in common areas of the building including the lobby" and "utilizing [the lobby] for anything other than entering and exiting the building." The letter went on to say that the tenants in question were "harassing other tenants in the building," a claim that is patently false and baseless. According to the letter, tenants will be evicted after 30 days if they do not "cure the violations by...refraining from loitering ... not setting-up any table, display or other object in the lobby of the Building."

As a duly registered tenants association protected by the DC Right of Tenants to Organize Amendment Act of 2006 (DC ST § 42-3505.06), tenants have the right to organize and join, meet, or assist for the purpose of mutual aid and protection. The law states that no owner or agent shall interfere with the right of a tenant to conduct the activities related to the establishment or operation of a tenant organization including distributing literature in common areas or such as the lobby, and holding meetings in common areas. Such violations are subject to a $10,000 fine.

By threatening tenant association board members with eviction, the building owner is engaging in intimidation and harassment tactics to discourage tenants from organizing. Our goal as a tenants association is to ensure a safe and decent place to live. This includes a working elevator and no more building-wide bed bug, roach and mice infestations. We have no intention to give in to such intimidation will continue to serve lemonade and organize. Our extensive tenant petition (lawsuit) details many other landlord intimidation tactics and deplorable conditions that are allowed to fester in the building. This notice to quit or vacate follows a pattern of continual landlord and management harassment of tenants, and we again demand that it cease.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please respond to this post.

Norwood Tenants Say "We're Not Leaving"

2007-07-11T11:42:00.000-04:00

Hold Lemonade Sit-In, to Protest Broken Elevator in Sweltering Heat

For Immediate Release: July 11, 2007

Norwood Tenants Say "We're Not Leaving"; Hold Lemonade Sit-In, to Protest Broken Elevator in Sweltering Heat

At the Norwood Apartments in Northwest DC , the elevator has been out of service for one month, the hottest of the year. Many tenants have been without air conditioning for even longer. Making the best out of a difficult situation, starting today July 11, 2007, the Norwood Tenants Association will hold a lemonade-sit-in at the building lobby to greet fatigued residents from 3pm to 7pm, every day until the elevator is fixed. Residents will be greeted with a cold refreshment before they venture up the stairs in the nearly 100 degree heat.

Tenants have been forced to lug strollers, bikes, groceries and laundry up seven stories of stairs since June 14, 2007, when a resident was trapped in the elevator. Shortly after, the DCRA cited the building owner for numerous elevator safety violations. Despite tenant complaints and mounting fines, management has moved at a snails pace in making repairs.

The Norwood Apartments is an 84 unit rent-controlled building in the Logan Circle area, which was the subject of a condo-conversion pitch in January 2007. The tenants refused to discuss condo conversion until building maintenance problems were fixed.

In addition to the elevator woes, many tenants are battling bedbugs, mice, mold, no heat or air conditioning, persistent gas leaks, and security problems, with little or no help from management. We tenants are expressing our absolute right to stay in our homes, and calling on the landlord to make repairs.

The reductions in service at the Norwood can be seen as de facto eviction tactics aimed at longstanding residents. "We are holding this lemonade-sit-in to show the landlord that we won't be bullied into leaving," said Norwood Tenant Association board member, David Fabian. Affordable rental housing is a dwindling commodity in DC, and for some landlords, the urge to convert to condos blinds them from their duty to provide safe and habitable housing. The tenants at the Norwood Apartments stand in solidarity in saying 'We're Not Leaving!' (¡No nos vamos!)

TENAC strongly supports the Norwood and their tenants’ association, in their long and valiant struggle, and salutes their excellent leadership.

D.C. TENANTS’ ADVOCACY COALITION
REPRESENTING ALL D.C. TENANTS
P.O. BOX 7237 WASHINGTON, DC 20044 (202) 628-3688
WEBSITE: www.tenac.org E-MAIL: tenacdc (at) yahoo.com

http://dc.indymedia.org/newswire/display/139857/index.php