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                                          Yearslong Landlord Egregious Living Conditions Prompts CASA Lawsuit

Renters Reject Unsanitary, Unsafe Living Conditions from Wingate Management and Tanglewood Venture LP, Who Lacked a Rental License for Over Two Years and Still Kept Collecting Rent 

RIVERDALE, MD – Immigration advocacy powerhouse CASA filed a mass action against landlords Wingate Management LLC, Tanglewood Venture LP, and associated entities on behalf of more than 30 tenants residing at Park Tanglewood Apartments in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Complaint available below.

Despite years of attempted negotiations, multiple fines, citations and rent escrow filings, tenants residing at Park Tanglewood saw no relief to their unsafe and unsanitary living conditions. The tenants live with conditions such as rodent, cockroach, and bedbug infestations; intermittent or nonfunctional heat and hot water in winter and A/C in summer; and non-functioning elevators and wheelchair lifts, to name a few. In addition to the hazardous environment, the landlord repeatedly tried to collect rent illegally. The company lost its rental license in 2022 and received repeated and flagrant code violations. 

Vaughn Stewart, Attorney at Santoni, Vocci & Ortega, LLC said,  We officially filed 2 days ago in Prince George’s County Circuit Court, December 4, 2024. CASA tried to negotiate a path forward on behalf of individual tenants, in which the landlord got their rent but did not work to fix the problems.” Stewart continued, “The core allegations are simple. The owners of this building and the property managers they have used know the conditions are deplorable. Yet they have ignored the cries for help and allowed these conditions to persist. By conditions, I mean children and infants being bitten by bed bugs, cockroaches, property damage, fear anxiety, sleeplessness, and depression. What these property managers have put these Marylanders through is unconscionable.”  

“In 2023 I moved into this community with my husband and two beautiful children. From the first day we moved in, we encountered problem after problem. While we faced many issues—rodent and insect infestations, plumbing issues, and more—our biggest struggle came last summer when we had no air conditioning during the hottest months on record,” said CASA member Ileana Fabiola Gonzalez. “As a mother, watching my children suffer in those conditions is something I will never forget. So today, I stand here as a plaintiff not just to seek justice for my family but also to send a message to landlords who think they can ignore their tenants’ needs: We will not stand for this any longer.”

Joining CASA and the tenants at the press conference were Prince George’s County Council Member, Eric Olson and Karen Mejia, Riverdale Ward 5 Council Member. Mejia was there in support of her constituents and as a resident of Park Tanglewood. She said, “I stand before you not only as an elected representative but also as a mother and a resident of Park Tanglewood, standing in solidarity with my community. I have always been open to collaborating with those who wish to invest in our town and people. Still, I will never, under any circumstances, tolerate such investment at the expense of our dignity as human beings. Everyone here deserves the right to safe, decent, and affordable housing.”

Council Member Olson added, “I’m sorry that we have to be here today. I was invited to the homes of the residents this past summer and what I saw was unacceptable. I saw babies on the floor circled by a ring of solution so the bed bugs and cockroaches wouldn’t get them when they slept. Unacceptable! I saw broken appliances that didn’t work, mold, and drains that didn’t work. Unacceptable. It’s time for Park Tanglewood to step up and do the right thing for residents. I want to thank CASA, I want to thank the attorneys for their work to bring justice for this community, and I stand with you in solidarity.”

This year, the state of Maryland passed legislation confirming its commitment that all Maryland tenants have a right to a habitable home. The new Tenant Safety Act of 2024 provides that tenants may withhold rent under certain circumstances and request relief or reduction of their rent to reflect those conditions. Many of the plaintiffs in this lawsuit are also using this defense in a parallel eviction action. (For a full list of legal actions search under the business tab for “Tanglewood Venture”)

CASA Member Maria Sanchez Benitez said, “For the past five years, I and countless other tenants have worked tirelessly alongside CASA to make our community safer, healthier, and more livable. We raised our voices, fought, and took our cases to rent escrow, hoping for change. Despite our best efforts, one thing has become abundantly clear: these owners and managers do not value our lives or well-being. They only value their profits. So today, I am here to say that we demand accountability. We stand together, united, and we will not be ignored any longer. We are here to fight for our homes, for our families, and for the future of this community.”

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With over 173,000 lifetime members across 46 US states, CASA is a national powerhouse organization building power and improving the quality of life in working-class: Black, Latino/a/e, Afro-descendent, Indigenous, and Immigrant communities. CASA creates change with its power-building model blending human services, community organizing, and advocacy in order to serve the full spectrum of the needs, dreams, and aspirations of members. www.wearecasa.org