VNSTA announces all-resident meeting for Wednesday, April 3rd

The Van Ness South Tenants Association has announced that it plans to hold a meeting on Wednesday, April 3rd, from 8:00 to 9:00 pm.

The meeting is for all residents of 3003 Van Ness — both the South and West buildings. Because the weather may still be cool and because the social room remains closed, the meeting will be held via zoom.

Employees or subcontractors of Equity Residential or its affiliates will not be permitted to join the meeting.

Residents of 3003 Van Ness may download a calendar invite at this link.

A zoom link and an agenda will be sent to residents via email during the week before the meeting.

We hope to see you there!

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VNSTA sends letter to Equity Residential senior VP regarding potentially dangerous leaks

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Last week, a resident of 3003 Van Ness sent two emails to building manager Josh Luper, warning him about a large water leak in several laundry rooms of the West building. The leaks were directly next to electric outlets and therefore could pose a risk of shock to residents.

Today, the Van Ness South Tenants Association sent a letter to Equity Residential Senior Vice President Frances Nolan, calling on her to take action to make sure that the leaks are addressed and that residents are safe. Specifically, the letter calls for Equity to hire plumbing and electricity experts to assess the seriousness of the situation and to repair the problems.

Since the discovery of the large leak, Equity has not informed residents of the situation or told them that there is a possible risk of shock. The tenant association today called on Equity to alert residents to the possible risk.

The letter stated:

“It has been almost a week since a resident alerted the front desk and emailed Equity Residential building manager Josh Luper about the leak, reporting that dripping water could be seen through holes in the laundry room walls, that “the wall to the right of the [laundry] outlet on the 8th floor is moist to the touch” and that “the wall holding the outlet on the 7th floor is saturated with water.” Equity Residential appears to have taken no action, not even to post a sign or send an email to residents warning them of the danger.”

Read the entire letter in printer-friendly format at this link.

Maximum rent increases for 2024

The DC Rental Housing Commission has released the new MAXIMUM rent increases for the rental year beginning on May 1, 2024. This applies to all rent-stabilized apartment buildings — those constructed before 1975. This includes 3003 Van Ness.

The maximum rent increase during the period May 1, 2024 to April 31, 2025:

  • 4.9% for those under age 62

  • 2.9% for those age 62 or older, or those with a disability

However, please note that the maximum two-year increase (last year plus this year) is 12%. So if you had a high rent increase last year — e.g., more than 7% — subtract that rent increase from 12% to see your maximum rent increase for the coming year.

For a slightly longer explanation of this, see additional information from the DC Office of the Tenant Advocate.

Another way to calculate your MAXIMUM rent increase for the coming year is to use the Rent Calculator from the Office of the Tenant Advocate. It’s a bit wonky, but you may find it useful.

Or read the original announcement by the DC Rental Housing Commission.

One more important point — beginning this year, landlords must give you 60 days notice before a rent increase is to go into effect.

The Van Ness South Tenants Association wants to make sure that all residents understand that these are the MAXIMUM allowable rent increases. The city forms that announce rent increases are misleading — they make it appear that these are MANDATED rent increases. This is not true. These are MAXIMUM rent increases. Smart renters will attempt to negotiate for a better deal in a slack market.

Tenant association launches survey regarding rodents at 3003 Van Ness

The Van Ness South Tenants Association today launched a survey for residents of 3003 Van Ness, to find out whether they are experiencing problems with rodents.

The survey was created because a substantial number of residents of 3003 Van Ness have reported to the tenant association that they have had mice or rats in their apartments. Some say that Equity Residential hasn’t aggressively tried to solve the problem — e.g., setting traps but not plugging holes in the walls. The Van Ness South Tenants Association wrote the online survey to find out the extent of the problem.

The survey also offers residents the opportunity to request information from the tenant association about steps they can take if management does not solve a rodent problem in a timely manner, including requesting an inspection by the DC Department of Buildings or filing a complaint in DC Housing Conditions Court. This simple legal action costs only $15 and does not require an attorney.

Residents who want help from the tenant association for rodent problems in their apartments should fill out the online survey.

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Tenant association president threatens Equity Residential with legal action over poor security

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Harry Gural, president of the Van Ness South Tenants Association, today sent a letter to Equity Residential, requesting that it repair broken exterior doors within two weeks — or face possible legal action in Housing Conditions Court.

For well more than a year, the tenant association has repeatedly asked Equity Residential to fix broken exterior doors and locks, presenting evidence of dozens of videos showing that it is easy to enter 3003 Van Ness without a fob. Equity has promised to repair the doors, but some doors have remained broken for months. Broken doors are a violation of DC Housing Code, 14 DCMR 705.5.

In the past, the DC Metropolitan Police Department has referred Equity Residential to the DC Attorney General for possible prosecution for poor security under the Drug-, Firearm-, or Prostitution-Related Nuisance Abatement Law.

The tenant association for a long time has argued that Equity Residential, a Real Estate Investment Trust with a market capitalization of approximately $23 billion, must provide adequate security at its property at 3003 Van Ness.

Read the entire letter at this link.

“I am contacting you to request repairs of DC housing code violations in common areas of 3003 Van Ness. If the three security doors are not repaired within the two weeks, I intend to file a complaint against Equity Residential Management in DC Housing Conditions Court.”
— Letter to Equity Residential
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Third tenant inspection in two months finds that exterior doors remain broken

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Members of the Van Ness South Tenants Association found on February 1st that three key security doors remain broken at 3003 Van Ness, allowing easy access from outside the building into the garage, and from the garage into the apartment area. This is the third time that tenants have recorded video of these broken doors since early December.

The tenant association has archived dozens of such videos in recent years, posting them on YouTube and Twitter/X, and sending them many times to Equity Residential management.

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Another tenant inspection of 3003 finds that problems have not been fixed

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Tenants conducted another inspection of common areas on Friday, Jan. 19th, and found that none of the problems that had been repeatedly reported to management in the past have been fixed.

As in past inspections, tenants found that many security doors are broken, allowing easy access from the outside into the building. These include one of the most highly trafficked entrances to the building, and several doors from the underground garage into the apartment hallways. In most cases, the doors can be opened without a fob. In other cases, the doors cannot be opened — even if a fob.

In addition, tenants found that almost a half dozen security lights in the lower courtyard remain missing or broken. Some appear to have been torn completely from concrete pedestals, others simply lie on the ground.

These security vulnerabilities are particularly concerning given that the DC Attorney General already has threatened suit against Equity Residential for poor security at 3003 Van Ness under the Drug-, Firearm-, or Prostitution-Related Nuisance Abatement Law.

The tenant association has extensively documented security problems at 3003 Van Ness since Equity Residential took control of the property in 2014 — writing reports, sending letters to Equity management, posting photos to Twitter/X, and conducting many inspections of the property.

Despite the fact that Equity Residential may bear legal liability for residents’ safety when the company fails to provide adequate security, many well-documented problems persist, with little apparent effort by Equity to fix them.

VNSTA requests more information about the Runwise temperature control system

The tenant association today sent a letter to Josh Luper, General Manager for 3003 Van Ness, inquiring about Equity Residential’s email announcement that it plans to adopt a new temperature control system.

Residents of 3003 Van Ness shared their concerns with the tenant association about the proposed change. In response, the tenant association has sent a formal letter to Equity Residential, asking for clarification about how the level of heat or air conditioning is set individual apartments.

Read the entire letter at this link.

“Will residents be able to maintain control of the heat and air conditioning in their individual apartments and raise or lower the temperature to suit their individual needs?”
— Letter to Equity Residential Management
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Despite warning, Equity Residential has not repaired security problems at 3003 Van Ness

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Another informal inspection by the Van Ness South Tenants Association finds that security and maintenance problems that were reported to Equity Residential in early December have not been repaired.

The inspection was conducted on the morning of December 31, 2023. It found that four security lampposts in the lower courtyard remain broken. The locks on several security doors remain broken, providing intruders easy access to the buildings. There has been no apparent attempt by management to fix the vandalism in the elevators.

In addition, the recent inspection finds a large pile of broken furniture and other garbage at the loading dock.

The tenant association has warned Equity senior management about the broken exterior doors many times over recent years. In addition, the DC Attorney General has threatened to file suit against Equity Residential for poor security at 3003 Van Ness under the Drug-, Firearm-, or Prostitution-Related Nuisance Abatement Law. Nevertheless, Equity has not taken steps to keep the security doors in good working order.

The DC Department of Buildings is currently conducting a building-wide inspection of all apartments at 3003 Van Ness. The inspection has revealed numerous serious housing code violations, which may lead to large fines against Equity Residential.

The Van Ness South Tenants Association requests that Equity Residential take proactive steps to make 3003 Van Ness clean and safe.

See photos and videos below from the Jan. 31, 2023, VNSTA inspection of 3003 Van Ness.

Garage door E doesn’t lock — allowing easy access to the building

Garage door O doesn’t lock — this already has been reported many times.

Garage door N has not been fixed — allowing easy access into the building

Door into the west building from the garage does not lock. This has been reported many times, but never fixed.

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Tenant association inspection of 3003 Van Ness finds numerous problems

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Members of the Van Ness South Tenants Association found numerous problems during an informal inspection of common areas at 3003 Van Ness on Saturday, December 2, 2023. These included several security doors that don’t lock, several broken lampposts, elevators that have been vandalized, inoperable washing machines, laundry rooms without working lights, and courtyard paving stones that wobble and constitute a trip hazard.

Most of these problems have been reported previously to Equity Residential building management. Some problems, like the broken security doors, have been reported many times — despite the fact that the DC Attorney General has warned Equity about poor security at 3003 Van Ness.

Even the lock to the front door at the main entrance was broken, with visitors able to freely enter the building without a fob — see video below.

Tenant association members widely believe that it should be the responsibility of the owner and manager of the building, a $25 billion company, to frequently inspect the building for problems and to fix those problems expeditiously. That is not happening.

It is particularly important for Equity to fix problems that cause security vulnerabilities — for example, the broken security lights listed in photos below, or the several broken security doors that provide easy access to the buildings — see videos at the bottom of this page. The Van Ness South Tenants Association has reported such problems to Equity Residential management many times. However, despite the DC Attorney General’s threat to file suit against Equity for poor security under the Drug-, Firearm-, or Prostitution-Related Nuisance Abatement Law, the $25 billion corporation still has not taken adequate steps to keep security systems in working order.

Fortunately, the DC Department of Buildings (DOB) is currently conducting a building-wide inspection of apartments at 3003 Van Ness. We hope that the DOB inspection, which includes fine for housing code violations, will encourage Equity Residential to fix numerous problems in residents’ apartments as well as the many other problems documented below.

Even the door at the main entrance doesn’t lock. It is easy to enter the building without a fob.