D. C. Takes Bold Step to Protect Renters from Exploitative Landlords

In a surprising move, Washington, D. C. is using a powerful law meant for organized crime to tackle a different kind of wrongdoing: bad landlords. The city's attorney general has filed a lawsuit against a family accused of running a shady business that provides terrible living conditions to low-income renters. The law being used is called RICO, which is usually reserved for complex cases involving multiple layers of deception. In this case, it's being used to go after a family that owns 70 rent-controlled properties. The lawsuit claims they've been deceiving lenders and taking advantage of affordable housing programs to make a profit while leaving their properties in disrepair. The family denies these claims, saying they haven't been proven in court yet. They also argue that the lawsuit is causing harm to property owners and the housing system without offering real solutions. But the attorney general says this is about protecting residents and going after the root of the problem.Housing experts say this is a new and important way to hold landlords accountable. It allows investigators to look deeper into the complex web of companies and ownership structures that can make it hard to pinpoint who's really responsible. The lawsuit describes some shocking conditions in these apartments, like infestations, standing water, and even no heat during winter. The goal is to get restitution for the affected tenants and stop the family from doing business in D. C. This isn't the first time the attorney general has taken action against this family. Earlier this year, they filed lawsuits on behalf of residents of two properties, which led to the discovery of this larger operation.