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D.C. Government To Step Into Messy Condo Dispute

D.C. Government To Step Into Messy Condo Dispute


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November 23, 2009 - By David Schultz
Photo courtesy of David Schultz

There's no heating in Monique Townes' Southeast D.C. condo building. For 10 days, it didn't have hot water. And the trash collection stopped months ago.
"So the trash is open and all you see is just bags of trash sitting there," Townes says. "On a warm day, there's an aroma of trash."


The property manager here is Charles Jenkins, a Virginia-based developer who recently declared bankruptcy. He converted this building into condos three years ago but could sell only half the units.


Ward Seven Councilwoman Yvette Alexander calls Jenkins a slumlord and wants the city to take legal action.


But Jenkins says he can't afford to make repairs. His residents stopped paying their condo dues.


"I've been short on money or whatever out there," Jenkins says. "But it wouldn't have been [that way] if they had paid their condo dues."


The condo owners say they stopped paying dues only after Jenkins stopped responding to their complaints.

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