UNITED DOMINION REALTY EVICTS TENANTS
Arlington, VA United Dominion Realty (UDR), is currently evicting all tenants from one of their properties, Taylor Place Apartments, to complete a major renovation project on Columbia Pike, which is currently being targeted for revitalization, or gentrification as more accurately described. They have chosen to ignore the guidelines set forth by Arlington County for resident construction projects, primarily the suggested relocation payments offered to residents to assist with the cost of moving and setup of new residence. UDR is one of the first property companies in Arlington County that have refused to offer this payment, although it is looked at by the County Board as common practice when undergoing such a project. Additionally, renovation disclosure laws have not been followed; UDR continued to sign and renew leases long after they knowingly began plans for renovations.
According to Disclosure laws, written notice of pending construction must be given to anyone signing or renewing a lease within 6 months of the start of the project (VA Code 55-248.12), which would have given tenants the option to bypass Taylor Place when seeking out a new home. The managers at Taylor Place told any current or prospective tenant asking if they would be displaced by construction that this would not be the case. Up until the last possible minute, UDR and Taylor Place management lied. During the phased construction project, tenants legal right as per their lease toPeaceful and Quiet Enjoyment has also been violated. Outraged tenants formed The Taylor Place Tenants Association, met with Buyers and Renters Arlington Voice (BRAVO - an Arlington non-profit tenants assistance organization) and the Arlington County Board. Unfortunately, only small amounts of progress have been made.
To date, UDR has offered buyout payments to residents on top floors of the building so that those tenants will vacate as soon as possible in order for construction to progress. The majority of the tenants on the remaining floors have not received any compensation, as the Arlington County Relocation Guidelines strongly encourage. Many tenants signed 12-14 month leases only weeks, if not days, before receiving 120 day notices to vacate. UDR refuses to consider offering payments to all residents, which would be given according to apartment size with more money being offered according to a point system to families with children, disabled persons, the elderly, and residents who have been previously displaced by construction or condo conversion in Arlington County.
After receiving their notices, residents were told that rent must be paid until their assigned move out date, with a seven day grace period, meaning they could leave up to 7 days before the date. At the April 19 Arlington County Board meeting, the board strongly encouraged UDR to meet with tenants to discuss the transition and residents options. Through heated negotiations at a series of meetings with the tenants and BRAVO, UDR agreed to allow residents to move out with 30 days notice. UDR has been quoted at the Arlington County Board meeting as saying we need a steady stream of income during renovation. This explains why UDR is holding their residents hostage they are using them to subsidize their construction costs. Because of UDRs restrictions, it has been difficult for many residents, including the elderly and families with children, to find a new place to live.
Tenants were also told that construction would begin at 9 A.M., but many have experienced construction noise at unreasonable times - as early as 7am has been reported. Some residents who work from home cannot do so due to the level of noise and construction dust and debris, violating VA Code 55-248.13 which requires a landlord to keep fit premises. Residents, especially those with small children, have begun to leave their apartments all day, as the noise has become intolerable. UDR and Taylor Place management have done the minimum to try to remedy this situation they asked their contractors not perform loud work outside the building before 9 A.M. This does not solve the problem of hammering, demolition, and other loud noised INSIDE of apartments.
The Arlington County Board has agreed to write letters of recommendation to UDR and to the Apartment & Office Buildings Owners Association of the Washington Metropolitan Area. With the help of the Arlington County Board, meetings have been arranged with a UDR representative to address concerns and demands of the tenants - meetings which UDR had previously been unwilling to participate in. UDR still refuses to meet most of the residents requests. The main resident concerns are relocation payments and construction noise levels and building safety. The only current remedy made by UDR has been to offer a room on a lower floor for residents that work from home. This obviously falls extremely short of what tenants know is fair. To date, no firm offer has been made to compensate all residents in the form of relocation payments.
The Taylor Place Tenant Association would like to make this information public to encourage UDR to do what is ethical and fair. We are requesting you as a media outlet report the egregious injustice being committed. Our demands are not outrageous, simply fair.
Taylor place or udr
Arlington, Virginia
U.S.A.
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