ICLC Defends Family Living in Slum Conditions

Ms. Washington and her three children lived in an apartment with leaking sinks, floors that had caved in, severe mold, cockroaches and unsafe electrical outlets. Their landlord had repeatedly ignored orders by the Housing Department to make her apartment habitable and so the building was put into the Rent Escrow Account Program (REAP), allowing rents to be deposited into escrow until the building is brought into compliance.

When the landlord repeatedly tried to evict Ms. Washington for paying rent to the REAP program, the single mother came to ICLC for help. Our team of staff and pro bono attorneys intervened to stop each illegal eviction attempt and placed mounting pressure on the landlord to make repairs. After ICLC sent a video crew to document the apartment’s unsafe conditions, the landlord finally completed all repairs. Ms. Washington and her children now live in a safe, healthy home without the constant fear of being put out on the streets.