FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 16, 2008

THE FIGHT OF THEIR LIVES, TENANTS TAKE ON MULTI BILLION DOLLAR OWNERS

The Marbury Plaza Concerned Tenants-Tenant s Association (MPCTA) was incorporated in April of 2007. MPCTA is a nonprofit corporation organized and chartered under the authority of the nonprofit corporation laws of the District of Columbia. In our capacity, we serve as the representatives of tenants who currently reside in the 672 units of Marbury Plaza Apartments, located at 2300 Good Hope Rd. SE, Washington, DC 20020. Marbury Plaza positioned in Ward 7, Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC) 7B.

Marbury Plaza, built in 1968, was the jewel of the Anacostia neighborhood IN Southeast DC. Several tenants who have lived at Marbury Plaza for 30 years or more reminisce about superbly kept common areas and grounds, and the management s extreme attentiveness to the needs of all residents. It was a complex where legendary singer Isaac Hayes lived for a time, and is remembered for wonderful parties in the community room.

Marbury Plaza is owned by A&A Marbury and managed by Beacon Property Management (affiliates of The Lightstone Group, LLC. of New York and New Jersey). According to the company s website:
The Lightstone Group was founded by David Lichtenstein in 1988, The Lightstone Group has grown to become one of the largest privately held real estate companies in the United States. The company currently owns a portfolio of diversified properties in 46 states plus the District of Columbia, Canada, and Puerto Rico, spanning more than 19,000 residential units, 687 hotels and approximately 24.5 million square feet of office, industrial, and retail properties. In the last year alone, The Lightstone Group completed more than $8.5 billion in acquisitions, the highlight being the company s significant entrance into the hospitality sector. The Lightstone Group acquired Extended Stay Hotels, becoming the largest owner of mid-price extended-stay hotels in the U.S., with approximately 76,000 rooms located in 44 states and Canada. The company currently operates under five brands in the extended-stay segment: Extended Stay Deluxe, Extended Stay America, Homestead Studio Suites, StudioPlus, and Crossland.

The Tenants of Marbury Plaza are frustrated and angry that the owners and management continue to recklessly neglect the safety, health, and habitability of tenants at Marbury Plaza Apartments. Tenants have been forced to live in units plagued by leaks, floods, loss of air conditioning and heat, no hot water, mold, rodents, insect infestation electrical problems and much more. Just this month, tenants have experience massive flooding, ceiling collapses in units and non-operable air conditioning suffered anywhere in sweltering heat from one to five days at a time. These pervasive problems affect the community s elderly, disabled and those with medical problems most significantly. Management is slow to act and repairs are not done or done so poorly problems return in days. The owners and management continue to promise sweeping changes that never occur. Additionally, Marbury Plaza is the site of the deadly gas explosion that killed a mother and her young child in January of 2004 and injured 19 others. The tenants recently retained counsel, and plan to take their issues to court. MPCTA is also working closely with The Office of the Tenant Advocate and Ward 7 Councilmember Yvette Alexander. Investigations have been conducted by the DC Department of Environment concerning air quality and mold. DCRA conducted unit and building wide housing inspection.. There have been several emergency DCRA inspections as well. Officials have responded, but have been slow to take action. For more information contact MPCTA at 202-459-4660 or marburyta@hotmail.com.

Your thoughts? Post a response to this review. Display my response: with my username anonymously Responses appear below reviews and one response per user is permitted.

   Free estimates on moving trucks      Find apartment share/roommates