WASHINGTON — Many residents have already moved out of the Lynnhill Condominiums complex in Temple Hills, Maryland, which was ordered this past week to be vacated by Nov. 4.
The condo association owes Pepco and Washington Gas over $1 million.
Most of the people who have left are renters finding other places to live. The majority of those left behind own units in the building.
“To have to deal with this, relocate my daughter, altering her normal lifestyle, this is a tragedy to me,” renter Lucien Orange told WTOP. “My plan is to try to move on.”
The parking lot was mostly barren, pitted with potholes throughout, with only a few cars for the few residents still there. Normally, it would be packed. County police officers sat in a patrol car watching the complex, and a portable tower light was on, with the generator still running.
On one end of the building, one unit — the one Orange is vacating — still has a small American flag hanging from the balcony, a symbol he said represents the hope he still has for himself and his neighbors. On the other end of the building, plywood covers several windows from a prior event.
Despite the difficult situation for some, many offered to help.
“People came to help, to provide their service,” Orange said. Volunteers have helped people move out for free, and others have assisted displaced residents in securing the funds needed to find a new home.
“I just want to help out where I can,” volunteer Wes Foster said. “I don’t know the particulars, and I’m not here to judge. I just want to help and that’s all.”
Along with helping people move, his church plans to organize a collection to help the people affected.
And while many people are busy figuring out the next step in their personal lives, others are still unaware of the current situation with Lynnhill Condominiums.
One person, who did not want to give his name, was not aware that a judge ordered Pepco to restore the electricity to the complex. Washington Gas was ordered to do the same, though a condo association attorney told WTOP Friday that gas service would take longer to restore.
The issue for the complex is that it is master-metered, meaning there is one bill for the entire property. Each unit pays a portion of the total bill to the association through its condo fee.
The association said it has been current on recent billing since a new board took over, but has not been able to pay off the seven-figure balance to Pepco and Washington Gas. It said it has been working to set up an arrangement with the utilities.
Affidavits to the Public Service Commission said termination notices went out to residents Oct. 24, stating service could be cut off the next day. Maryland regulations state customers must have at least a two-week warning.
Thursday, the commission ordered the utilities to restore service while they work to explain whether they gave residents proper written notice of the service termination. They could each face sanctions if not enough notice was given.
Pepco said in a statement Friday it is reviewing the commission’s order. It restored service to residents at Lynnhill at around 9 p.m. Friday.
There was no word on how that owed money will be paid.
