A new management company has taken over a troubled Silver Spring apartment complex hit with more than 2,500 housing code violations in an inspection this year.
In a comprehensive inspection in February of the Enclave apartments’ 829 units, the county’s Department of Housing and Community Affairs found more than 2,500 housing code violations. About 16% of the violations were considered health and safety problems, including persistent and widespread mold, mice and roach infestations, according to inspectors.
In June, a county circuit judge fined Enclave Holdings LLC, the New-York based owner of the complex, more than $1,100 for failing to remedy dozens of the violations.
Around the same time, Enclave Holdings brought in “its own in-house management company,” Hampshire Assets, to “take over on-site management of the property,” according to Laurence Gensler, regional manager for Hampshire Assets.
“We acknowledge that there was a prior issue. Unfortunately, we felt at this point it was necessary to take direct responsibility of these efforts to confirm the job was done precisely,” Gensler wrote in a statement. “This was done in order to personally assure that the immediate improvements made to the property were done accurately and efficiently; previous management is no longer involved.”
The previous management company, The Donaldson Group, was in charge of the Enclave apartments for about one year. The Donaldson Group declined to comment.
Previously, the company said rain during the spring, summer and fall delayed its remediation efforts.
In his statement, Gensler said Hampshire Estates officials “immediately partnered” with county inspectors and are working with county officials to fix the problems. He says fewer than 5% of violations issued by the county remain to be fixed.
“The vision of ownership was, and is always, resident happiness and comfort, while consistently adding improvements to enhance their living experience,” Gensler wrote. “In addition to maintaining a fresh, clean and hospitable environment, our first priority was to address all needed repairs. We have begun these renovations and plan to continue making upgrades to see our vision through.”
Some Enclave tenants have filed a class-action lawsuit in Montgomery County Circuit Court, alleging that former management companies and owners of The Enclave were negligent in failing to fix persistent mold problems for more than three years.
Plaintiffs allege that Enclave owners and management have “repeatedly ignored” tenants’ pleas for help.
The lawsuit is seeking a jury trial on behalf of a large, unknown number of tenants who rented units from the Enclave between 2016 and 2019.
Caitlynn Peetz can be reached at caitlynn.peetz@moco360.media