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Prince George's County
Laurel Residents Join Council Members to Tackle Rising Rents
Richard D. Elliott WI Contributing Writer
In one of Prince George’s largest municipalities, a community of seniors and a majority-immigrant community have teamed up with members of the City Council, CASA de Maryland and others to fight back against rising rents and unaddressed safety concerns.
Since the pandemic began in early 2020, rents have risen sharply across the country as real estate investors such as Blackrock have bought up new homes and inflation has reduced purchasing power for home-seeking Americans. Rents have risen over 14% in the past year and this has most directly affected Black communities and seniors who rely on Social Security
5 At-Large Laurel City Councilmember Martin Mitchell and CASA rally against high rents and poor service at Laurel’s Westgate apartments. (R. Elliott/The Washington Informer)
and fixed income to pay the rent and utilities.
This has been an unfortunate local trend as well: 15% rent increase in DC for one-bedroom apartments and studio apartments over the past year with similar increases along the Prince George’s Purple Line corridor.
A 2022 survey of landlords showed that the more properties a landlord/property management
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After months of rising rents and unaddressed health and safety concerns, more than 80 residents from the Westgate Apartments in Laurel signed a petition organized by CASA de Maryland calling for a rent strike last month. The Westgate apartments, like many other apartment complexes, were bought up by large firms during the pandemic. Their complex was bought out by Schweb Partners LLC, a New Jersey-based real estate developer who has purchased residential properties in Lake Worth Beach, West Palm Beach and Winston-Salem over the past 18 months.
Westgate residents held their first meeting with representatives from Schweb Partners’ last month. Meanwhile, residents of a Schwebowned property in Springfield, Massachusetts similarly continue to protest against high rents and safety and health concerns which still have not been addressed.
At 332 11th Street, longtime Laurel residents, including Robert Pendarvis, have recently been challenged by rental costs that have nearly doubled as well as possible evictions following the sale of the property. However, a compromise implemented in March, which recommended a $150 monthly rent increase and city spending from the American Rescue Plan, satisfied most residents.
The same owner agreed upon a similar deal at Patuxent Place Apartments on Laurel’s Main Street with negotiations that led to an initially-proposed rent increase of between 30% to 60% being lowered to 13.5% increases for 15 apartments.
Meanwhile, these evictions attempts have caused “heartache and anxiety,” said Martin Mitchell, council member at large for Laurel.
“One of our biggest obstacles to getting changes has been a lack of desire to systematically change the way we do business and what protections we provide for our tenants,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell has partnered with Council member Carl DeWalt on legislation to regulate rents, prevent extreme rent hikes and improve clarity in any forms of communication related to housing.
The two council members have also joined forced with the Laurel Housing Justice Coalition, led by CASA and which includes coalition members like the Prince George’s County NAACP, Laurel Area Referral Services, PG Changemakers, Fish of Laurel and the Maryland Poor People’s Campaign. Their focus remains to protect tenants and improve housing conditions in Laurel.
Meetings, held on a monthly basis, provide opportunities for coalition members to coordinate their efforts.
One of the next steps in the planning stages expected to better protect tenants, which Mitchell said he supports, includes the creation of a rental registry that would make it easier for city agencies, property owners and tenants to address alleged city infrastructure inadequacies and to track rental rates and evictions more efficiently. WI
CURFEW from Page 1
guardian if they venture out during the prohibited hours.
Parents and guardians will be notified by law enforcement officials if their children violate the curfew.
The curfew re-enforcement will begin on Sept. 9 and continue for at least the following 30 days. Even with the new policy, some county officials remain at odds on how the youth curfew law should be enforced.
Alsobrooks said there will be consequences for parental figures if their children are found in violation of the curfew.
“If a parent doesn’t respond or fails to respond regarding their child, the child will be released to social services,” the county executive said. “The county will also fine establishments that allow children to stay past curfew – including $50 for the first offense, $100 for the second offense and $250 for subsequent offenses.”
The reinforcement of the curfew comes at a time when 62 homicides have been reported in the county – still lower than the 84 recorded at the same time last year. But a disturbing number of those who have committed crimes include minors – some of whom have had prior run-ins with the police.
Alsobrooks said the time has come for people to be held accountable for the rash of violence in the county.
“Somebody has to take responsibility for the children and it’s not just police and the government,” Alsobrooks said.
Alsobrooks said the 24 murders in August, the deadliest month in the county’s history, signal a disturbing trend, noting that “before August, we were down 30% in homicides.”
She also said there have been 430 arrests of juveniles in the county, doubling the number last year.
“At this point, these kids don’t just need a hug, they need to be held accountable,” she said. “I know it’s not a popular thing to say, but it’s a fair question: Where are the parents? What are the aunties, where are the uncles and other family members who are responsible for them?”
Alsobrooks stressed her administration has implemented mental health and jobs programs to assist at-risk children and adults. She also emphasized the important role that both the police and the courts must play in
5 County Executive Angela Alsobrooks (Shevry Lassiter/The Washington Informer)
reducing the surge of violence.
“There is a whole system at play here,” Alsobrooks said. “Something is not working. We are arresting and re-arresting the same children and adults. What is happening after their arrest?”
DIFFERING VIEWS ON CURFEW FROM CITIZENS
David Grogan, a Bowie State graduate, a former candidate for county sheriff and a career federal law enforcement official, said invoking a juvenile curfew remains a moot point.
“Maryland legislators determined long ago that a juvenile curfew is warranted,” he said. “Law enforcement agencies must not allow politics to conflict with social services agencies and impede their efforts to get back to basics of enforcing laws that are already on the books.”
Rudy Anthony, a single parent in Bowie and president of Prince George’s Young Democrats said the curfew on youth represents a sound decision but more needs to be done.
“The county executive has made a good first step in curbing the outrageous amount of violent crimes being committed by youth but a curfew is not enough,” he said. “Young people need to be engaged directly. Once upon a time the council had a youth and gang violence prevention task force which I believe was very successful.”
Ralph Cyrus, a party member of the Democratic Socialists of America in Prince George’s, said he’s heartbroken to see so many families go through the loss of loved ones.
“County leadership needs to be more proactive in addressing the root causes of violence, especially among our youth. However, feigning tears at a press conference and enacting punitive measures have not and will not be the solution. Studies have shown curfew measures do not decrease crime but [instead] mark youth populations for increased targeting by the police. In a majority-Black county, this is simply unacceptable.”
Sherman Hardy, a former candidate for county executive criticized the lack of resources needed to reduce violence.
“The system will do everything except provide resources to people and fix the root causes in our communities, especially in predominantly Black and brown communities,” he said.
Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy, who did not join Alsobrooks on Monday, held a separate online news conference later that day. She said crime has reached a state of crisis in the county.
“We absolutely hold people accountable for serious crimes,” she said, adding that her office has a 98% conviction rate. “We are part of the justice system and we make recommendations but we are not the final say. Sometimes we disagree and we are upset with the decision of those in the justice system. But our system of justice only works if we all respect everyone’s role and we understand the law.”
WTOP reported Braveboy has asked Alsobrooks to convene a series of meetings with major stakeholders to address the county’s criminal justice system, similar to what former County Executive Rushern Baker III did in 2011.
“That is what leadership is about,” Braveboy said. “It’s not about pointing fingers.”
WI Contributing Writer Richard Elliott contributed to this report.
WI @JamesWrightJr10 @mcneirdk
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