McEachin asks HUD to Provide the ‘Closer Scrutiny’ They Promised
WASHINGTON – Congressman A. Donald McEachin (VA-04) wrote a letter to Secretary Carson about P.K. Management’s failure to meet the most basic standards at multiple Section 8 housing properties in his congressional district.
“Recently a resident fell through the stairs at Woodland Crossing, a public housing property overseen by PK Management, the same PK Management that owns and manages Essex Village, another property in my district with horrific living conditions. I have written Secretary Carson again asking to have his staff share information about how exactly HUD is providing the ‘closer scrutiny’ they promised to my constituents. We need to see an assessment of whether the closer scrutiny is actually improving the living conditions at P.K. Management properties,” said Congressman McEachin. “The descriptions provided by the residents make it seem that the situation has not ameliorated and is still dangerous and unacceptable. Our tax dollars are still being paid to the property management company that has not improved the living conditions for the families who live here.”
Congressman McEachin previously wrote to Secretary Carson urging the Department of Housing and Urban Development to sever their relationship with P.K. Management; given that tax dollars are not adequately used to ensure that residents are living in a safe, sanitary, affordable community.
“I have suggested that P.K. Management should no longer be allowed to operate HUD-affiliated properties because of their poor performance. In response to my concerns, HUD promised to ‘provide closer scrutiny to the 171 PK affiliated properties, with particular attention to the Virginia-based assets.’ Despite that promise, conditions at Woodland Crossing have deteriorated to the point that people are able to fall through holes in the stairs; at Essex Village, HUD itself has said that ‘individual unit conditions are still considered unacceptable and represents a serious risk to the health and safety of tenants.’ Despite receiving millions of taxpayer dollars every year, P.K. Management has failed to meet the most basic standards at multiple properties,” wrote Congressman McEachin. “The status quo in my district is unacceptable, and it must not continue.”
Congressman McEachin sends this letter in advance of the scheduled Congressional Black Caucus meeting with Secretary Carson.
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Full letter text is available here and below.
Contact: Jamitress Bowden
(202) 225-6365
The Honorable Ben Carson
Secretary, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
451 7th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20410
Dear Secretary Carson:
I write to bring to your attention yet another serious accident at a Section 8 subsidized housing complex in my congressional district. Once again, poor maintenance at a P.K. Management property has allowed a resident to come to harm.
Enclosed is a report of a man injured at the Woodland Crossing apartment complex in Richmond, Virginia. Earlier this year, the gentleman's legs fell through a hole in the floor at the top of an exterior staircase — one of several similar incidents reported at this property. Previously, I wrote you about a similar incident at Essex Village, another P.K. Management property in my district. In that case, a pregnant mother fell from her second-floor balcony when a railing gave way. HUD staff are well aware of the poor living conditions and bad or failing REAC inspection scores at both of these P.K. Management properties.
In previous letters, I have suggested that P.K. Management should no longer be allowed to operate HUD-affiliated properties because of their poor performance. In response to my concerns, HUD promised to “provide closer scrutiny to the 171 PK affiliated properties, with particular attention to the Virginia-based assets.” Despite that promise, conditions at Woodland Crossing have deteriorated to the point that people are able to fall through holes in the stairs; at Essex Village, HUD itself has said that “individual unit conditions are still considered unacceptable and represents [sic] a serious risk to the health and safety of tenants.”
Despite receiving millions of taxpayer dollars every year, P.K. Management has failed to meet the most basic standards at multiple properties. I ask that your staff share with my office information on exactly how HUD is providing “closer scrutiny” to P.K. Management properties, and that they provide an assessment of whether that closer scrutiny is adequately improving conditions at the P.K. Management properties in my district.
As I have said before, all Americans deserve access to safe, sanitary, affordable housing. It is outrageous that taxpayer dollars are being spent to house families in unsafe living conditions. The status quo in my district is unacceptable, and it must not continue.
I appreciate your attention to this matter, and I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,