The District of Columbia has sued the owners of a 36-unit apartment building in Anacostia, alleging they let drug dealing, squatters and trash pile up for months despite repeated police responses and formal warnings to fix the problem. The property at 1828 Q Street SE sits near Boone Elementary, Kramer Middle School and Anacostia High School, and one pregnant tenant says she watched people smoke crack cocaine outside her unit's door more than ten times, with the fumes seeping regularly into her family's apartment.
D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb filed the lawsuit against 1828 Q Street SE Apartments LLC, along with owners Marquis Bailey and Dion Robertson, according to WJLA. The case is being handled by Special Counsel for Nuisance Abatement Zenia Wilson Laws, per the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia.
Metropolitan Police officers made arrests at the property for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and seized cocaine and crack cocaine there, according to the outlet's reporting. Police received more than 190 calls for service at the property in 2026, and between May and August, federal law enforcement agencies joined MPD in repeatedly responding to narcotics activity at the building, per the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia.
Unlocked Doors and Piles of Trash
When MPD officers inspected the building on August 26, they observed people entering through an unlocked main entrance and found large piles of trash inside and behind the property, the OAG says. People had also been entering the building through an unlocked entrance more broadly, and squatters and trash had become ongoing problems there, the station's report notes.
The same account described a tour of the building and complaints about suspected squatters, trash and drugs. City officials say the owners were warned about the conditions and advised to improve security, but failed to act.
Emergency Court Order Sought
Prosecutors paired their complaint with a motion for a preliminary injunction, seeking immediate court-ordered safety remedies and ultimately a permanent court order, according to the Office of the Attorney General. Officials are asking a judge to order the owners to secure vacant units, install security cameras and lighting, hire security guards, and address blight at the property, the outlet reports. The lawsuit also seeks civil penalties for alleged violations of the District's nuisance act.
“This property owner’s extreme neglect has fostered a dangerous environment that threatens tenants’ safety and has far-reaching negative impacts on the neighboring community,” Attorney General Schwalb said, according to WJLA. “Property owners must take basic steps to keep their buildings safe,” he added, warning that the District will take legal action when owners refuse to cooperate or address persistent criminal conduct.
Housing Enforcement
The District's Drug-, Firearm-, or Prostitution-Related Nuisance Abatement Act provides a framework for nuisance-abatement enforcement, according to the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia.
The Q Street lawsuit is a housing enforcement action.
In February, Schwalb filed a civil RICO suit against real estate operators Ali, Eimon and Houri Razjooyan over an alleged slumlord enterprise spanning multiple District buildings, according to the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia. Smart Cities Dive reported that landlords JBG Smith and Mid-America Apartments agreed to a $9.3 million settlement over antitrust claims tied to RealPage rent-setting software.
