‘They scratch the walls’: Washington woman, 66, was stuck in raccoon-infested government housing for a year — pest control removed 15 critters, called it worst infestation they’d ever seen

Wildlife intervention

After getting basically ignored by her Congress Park Plaza landlord, who had only put up wooden boards over the holes in her home, Chaplin reached out to 7News in one final attempt to get help.

Chaplin shared photos of raccoons poking their heads through holes in her home with the news team. The animals had dug their way through the wooden boards, and when local reporters visited Chaplin’s government-managed property, they witnessed a raccoon knocking a clock off her wall.

“I’m going crazy, makes me seem like I’m going crazy, losing my mind,” Chaplin told 7News. “If I go to sleep, I’m scared they’re going to come out. They scratch the walls.”

The team at 7News looked into Chaplin’s management company, SE Washington Development Associates II LP, and discovered they’re facing numerous violations, fines and lawsuits. And that landlord is managed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

After 7News aired its report, the building finally called out a wildlife team to her home to remove one of the raccoons — and returned to remove 14 more. The critters had clearly made their home in Chaplin’s apartment, as well as the neighboring units.

Wildlife Solutions said that Chaplin’s infestation was the worst they’d seen in a single property and that if the landlord had called them six months earlier, Chaplin would have been able to remain in her home safely. But now, the only way to address the situation was to move Chaplin out.

“They might as well pay rent in here then," Chaplin told 7News, referring to the animals. “They might as well pay rent, not me, they’re running me out [of] my home. It's crazy.”

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Obligations to keep tenants safe

Throughout the station’s investigation, reporters found the process for reporting unsafe conditions in government housing was a challenge, contacting multiple government offices, housing agencies and tenant associations.

HUD rules show that government-managed properties have no less obligation to ensure safe living conditions for tenants than private management companies. Public Housing Agencies (PHAs) and property owners are expected to be communicative with residents on all issues, and any complaint should be resolved as soon as possible. Property agents are not allowed to retaliate, intimidate, harass or neglect any resident filing a complaint.

HUD codes hold that PHAs are “required to either make repairs to such conditions within a reasonable period of time or to abate the situation (usually by moving the tenant's family).”

Making your voice heard in unsafe living conditions

Chaplin’s situation is unfortunately not unique. About 2.2 million Americans are living in public housing and thousands may be experiencing poor conditions such as mold, plumbing issues, pest infestations and lead paint, according to governing.com. In such cases, it’s important for tenants to advocate for themselves and demand their rights to a safe dwelling.

One of the first steps to reporting unsafe conditions is to contact the PHA managing your property. If management doesn’t immediately address the issue, like in Chaplin’s case, a tenant may need to contact HUD directly to report housing discrimination. Make sure to include documentation of complaints already filed with the PHA and include descriptions and photos of the conditions.

A tenant may also want to reach out to local tenant organizations or legal aid groups who can help access free or low-cost legal help, as well as help locate a replacement dwelling if the PHA won’t address the conditions.

According to HUD, a tenant has the right to organize with neighbors and distribute information to other residents if the issue is widespread throughout the property.

And, like Chaplin, a tenant might consider contacting local news stations, which often have hotlines or other ways to lodge complaints, create unwanted attention for the landlord and force a quick resolution.