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Residents at 1262 Talbert St. SE had to leave their homes more than two years ago after it was determined their housing complex was slipping off its foundation.
WASHINGTON — Some Southeast DC residents are calling on DC government to make things right after their homes were condemned more than two years ago.
Forty-six families, at 1262 Talbert St. SE, in Anacostia, have been out of their homes ever since engineers determined the complex they lived in was sliding off its foundation.
On Wednesday, dozens of those residents gathered at the complex to demand DC government pay their mortgages, restore their credit, and extend their lease assistance.
“It’s unfair to be paying a mortgage in a place you can't even live in,” said homeowner Shannon Thomas.
The developer, Stanton View LLC, received subsidies from DC to build the development. At the time, District officials said inspections found nothing wrong.
However, since then, the developer has filed for bankruptcy and many of the complex’s residents, who bought their property through DC’s first-time homeowner program, have been forced to live in rental properties elsewhere in town.
"I want DC government to make us whole,” said homeowner Stephanie Navarrette. “They gave the permits, they say they did the inspection, or they didn't, and they weren't able to catch an issue as it was potentially happening."
Two years ago, DC put together a task force to forgive some residents of their loans and provide relocation expenses.
WUSA9 reached out to the DC Department of Housing and Community Development Wednesday, but it has yet to hear back.
Thomas said she just hopes District officials are listening.
"If this happened to them, how would they feel?" she said.
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