WASHINGTON — A protest started in Freedom Plaza Monday morning made up of healthcare workers, DC Circulator drivers, and labor groups calling out D.C. leadership for not upholding the city’s housing standards for seniors, especially in Southeast.
Patricia Canady says she’s been trying to get someone to stop water from dripping down the walls of her Ward 7 apartment for months and still hasn’t gotten a reply.
“It makes you feel like you’re nothing like you’re nobody,” she said. “They don’t care, and it didn’t use to be like this in Washington, D.C. People used to help their tenants in Washington, D.C. They don’t do that anymore.”
After hearing from speakers, protesters began walking to Nats Park. Those who couldn’t walk arrived by bus. At the roundabout on South Capitol Street, some stood in the middle of the street, demanding what they call a long overdue audit of the District’s social services.
“We are demanding that Mayor Bowser and the head of the Housing committee come here today to meet with my people! Councilmember and Mayor, we’re waiting!” said Perry Redd of Sincere Seven.
Organizers also say they want to look at legislation they’ve put together they say could remove the District’s ability to mismanage funds, and improve housing standards.
“What it would do is keep our citizens from fighting these landlords in court without the proper resources, in order that the city would take care of their repairs and the things that need to happen, and then bill the landlords,” explained Dr. Rhonda Hamilton of the Healthy D.C. & Me Leadership Coalition. “Let the city, let the Attorney General’s Office go to court and fight. Don’t send our citizens back and forth fighting about mold and rat feces and things of this nature.”