Landlords Try to Evict Graham
This afternoon, the D.C. Apartment and Office Building Association (AOBA), held a press briefing at its downtown offices on rent-control legislation currently making its way through the D.C. Council. Ward 1 Councilmember Jim Graham has been AOBA’s main adversary on the legislation—which would do such tenant-unfriendly things as abolish rent ceilings and penalties for landlords that do not file rent increase notices. Loose Lips wrote about the conflict this week.
Shortly before the briefing started, Vincent Mark Policy, an attorney with landlord-favorite law firm Greenstein Delorme & Luchs, spotted Graham inside the meeting. “You weren’t invited,” he told the councilmember.
“You’re asking me to leave?” Graham replied.
“Politely,” said Policy. “This is not a public event.”
“Let me have someone from AOBA ask me to leave. You’re from a law firm.”
Policy said OK and walked away. Asked if he’d ever been kicked out of an event before, Graham said, “Never. This will be a first….I didn’t even get a cookie.”
Policy returned and told Graham “you can stay if you don’t talk.” Said Graham: “I wouldn’t dream of saying a word. I have my car legally parked. I can go down and get in it.”
“You want some change for the meter?” Policy replied.
After the event ended an hour and a half later, Policy apologized to Graham.
March 30th, 2006 at 7:22 pm
Graham’s a hero for this.
As a small-landlord, I’ve some concerns over tenants’ rights provisions in DC, but rent control is absolutely not one of them. Landlords already have at their disposal many tools which enable them to price their units fairly.
Further, relaxing rent control, or adding a means test to it, would hurt too many long-term renters who’s income has not kept pace with the recent meteoric rise in rents in my Ward 2 neighborhood. I actually think the rent ceilings are too high.
Again, I say this as a former tenant, and current landlord.
March 31st, 2006 at 7:17 am
The rent ceiling should be set at a level that reflects the average wage increase.
Washington DC has not been honored as becoming the most expensive city on the east coast passing NYC and our rental level helped make this happen.
Greedy landlords need to sit their asses down and be thankful Graham is being even handed.
April 4th, 2006 at 12:49 am
Fenty having of recent taken the side of the greedy landlords may have lost a lot of votes and Cropp will surely use that to lure renters to her camp.
Hey Fenty, you screwed up brother and lost my vote for starters.