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The firestorm against Sanford Capital continues to brew, with the latest allegations involving the Belmont Crossing apartments in Southeast D.C.
The Equal Rights Center has filed a housing discrimination suit against the Bethesda-based company, alleging Sanford refuses to lease apartments at the complex to residents who rely on temporary rental subsidies, Washington City Paper reports.
The 275-unit property is spread across 25 buildings along 7th St. SE and Barnaby Road. Sanford acquired the apartment complex in 2015.
The defendants are Sanford and Oakmont Management Group. In the lawsuit, ERC said it had testers call the property, and that they were told that the landlord does not accept temporary housing subsidies, including veterans support services. Representatives for Sanford Capital, Oakmont and the apartment complex could not be reached for comment.
Sanford has amassed nearly $150K in fines since 2009 at its 19 apartment building, and the landlord faces lawsuits from the District. D.C. Attorney General Karl Racine has filed two lawsuits against the landlord alleging it has failed to fix chronic problems at two of its properties. Mayor Muriel Bowser mentioned Sanford in her State of the District address in March, saying she had inspectors review all of the landlord's properties, following reports of poor conditions, and that the inspectors found many housing code violations.
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