Rodent infestation and odor issues plague Lotus Square Apartments in Northeast DC amidst housing violation fines

WASHINGTON (7News) — If you're inside Lotus Square Apartments in Northeast, D.C.

"Look over the top of my head. Oh my God! Oh, Jesus!" said a resident in a cell phone video showing rats scurrying in the ceiling of the complex's garage.

Video and pictures in the 7News I-Team investigation were obtained from Lotus Square residents or captured by 7News cameras over the past several months.

"Ah! Wait! Oh my God?" said a resident reacting to a rodent running through the complex's clubhouse area.

7News wants to know what the District is doing to improve conditions at Lotus Square. Residents invited us inside where we met Deborah Shields, the Vice-President of the Lotus Square Tenants Association.

"We have problems with rodents. Rodent smells in the walls and all the common areas," said Shields.

According to city documents, Lotus Square has 173 apartments. It's an affordable housing development and back in 2007, the property received $1.5 million in federal low-income housing tax credits.

So far this year, Lotus Square is facing housing violations with the city that total almost $350, 000 in potential fines that date back to 2021. Oct. 11 was the last time inspectors with the Department of Buildings were on the property checking on a complaint. You can look up the number of complaints about the apartment complex through D.C.'s Dept of Buildings Public Dashboard.

Ashanti Narce, President of the Lotus Square Tenant's Association agrees Lotus Square has had a number of issues.

"You are hit with the odor. Even when you go up to the top floor, the fourth floor, you are hit with an odor. So when I say that I'm upset. I am behind that word upset," added Narce.

D.C.'s Department of Buildings has received 13 complaints about the smell and believes it's a result of efforts by the property owner to get rid of the rodents.

"I feel like since 2016, the building has been going down the drain and nobody has been doing anything to fix it," said Crystal Waters who lives at Lotus Square.

Tim Chapman with Chapman Developments is the owner of Lotus Square. He said during the COVID-19 pandemic, the complex developed issues but he created a new management company at Lotus Square to address tenant's complaints.

"Residents were home more. They were consuming more and we had less resources to address those issues. We had less staff in the building. So that's part of the reason we got here," added Chapman.

This year, the District has eight liens against three properties owned by Chapman Developments. Lotus Square leading the way with six totaling $25,512.

If housing violations are not paid, D.C.'s Office of the Attorney General can file a lawsuit.

Last August and about 24 hours after the 7News I-Team was inside Lotus Square, two men showed up.

"Hi, guys are you with the Attorney General's Office?" asked 7News I-Team Reporter Scott Taylor.

"Who are you?" asked one of the two men.

"My name is Scott Taylor, I'm with WJLA-TV. Are you with the Attorney General's Office," said Taylor.

"No, no cameras," said the man in a suit.

"You can't even identify yourself?" asked Taylor.

Residents inside identified the two men as investigators with the AG (Attorney General). They inspected 14 apartments.

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This isn't a first for 7News. Both 7News Reporter Christian Flores and 7News Anchor Carl Willis reported on past issues at Lotus Square.

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Meanwhile. D.C.'s Housing Authority said landlords have 28 days to resolve issues. We spoke to D.C.'s At Large City Councilmember Robert White, Junior who chairs the city's Housing Committee.

"It's absolutely terrible what these residents are living through," said White.

White believes city laws need to change.

"That's what I want to figure out. How do we cut the bureaucracy, hold landlords accountable, and get people living in better conditions? So that's the answer I'm working on now," said White.

Chapman added that his new management team has made multiple improvements including renovations, repairs and the ongoing process of removing any rodent infestation.

"We have been working diligently for over the last year. We put a new team together to take action to address all the concerns of the tenants." said Chapman.

The District has more than $45 million in potential fines for housing violations in the city. About 33 million of that has been issued to landlords. Right now, only $6 million in fines have passed through housing court and are now in collections for property owners to pay up.