WARD 2 CANDIDATE CARY SILVERMAN
CALLS FOR ACTION FOR TENANTS
Silverman Pledges to Work With TENAC to Address Urgent Needs
For Immediate Release
September 6, 2008
Contact: Kristin Sosanie
Kristin@caryforcouncil.org
(202) 347-7850
Washington, D.C. Today, Ward 2 Candidate Cary Silverman is calling for D.C. government action to protect tenants' rights. In a letter to Mayor Adrian Fenty and Councilmember Marion Barry as Chairperson of the Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs, Silverman urged them to immediately:
- Provide an explanation for the firing of Rent Administrator Grayce Wiggins, schedule a D.C. Council oversight hearing to examine the circumstances underlying the abrupt action, and reinstate Ms. Wiggins pending investigation; and
- Undertake inspections and remediation of an unacceptable situation at the Norwood Apartments, 1417 N Street, NW, in Ward 2.
The DC Tenants' Advocacy Coalition (TENAC) has questioned whether Ms. Wiggins was summarily removed as retaliation for issuing a carefully crafted and fully balanced decision on the Kennedy Warren condominium conversion.
"There has been no cause or reason cited for this seemingly punitive employment action. If there is a legitimate reason for her removal, then it will withstand the light of day," said Silverman, echoing the call of TENAC Chairman Jim McGrath.
The Norwood Apartments is an 84-unit rent-controlled building in the Logan Circle area that was the subject of a condo-conversion pitch in January 2007. The tenants refused to discuss condo conversion until building maintenance problems were fixed. For at least three years, tenants have dealt with bedbugs, mice, mold, no heat or air conditioning, persistent gas leaks, and security problems, with little or no help from management and unresponsiveness from their councilmember and the DC government.
"It's unacceptable that this has been allowed to go on so long," said Silverman.
Silverman's actions come on the heels of TENAC's scolding of the incumbent Ward 2 councilmember at the Coalition's August 8 Candidates' Forum at Foundry United Methodist Church. Time and again the incumbent councilmember has failed tenants according to remarks by McGrath at that meeting, who listed numerous instances of non-responsiveness. Residents of the Norwood Apartments also expressed their frustration over the lack of assistance from the councilmember in addressing serious and ongoing problems in their homes for years.
"As councilmember, I'll take a hands-on approach to addressing problems. Our housing laws must be enforced and renters must not be left to live in such conditions," said Silverman. "I won't wait until an election year to help those for whom government services and regulations have been put in place to aid and protect."
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