WASHINGTON, DC - Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb today announced that the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) obtained a $6.8 million judgment against A.J. Edwards Realty and Adolphe Edwards (Edwards) for forcing tenants to live in dangerous and illegal conditions at nine apartment buildings in Wards 4 and 8.

OAG sued Edwards in DC Superior Court after an investigation found that for years, he forced tenants at his buildings to live in deplorable conditions that threatened their health and safety, including water and sewage leaks, mold, collapsing ceilings, rat and raccoon infestations, dirt and trash in common areas, toxic lead contamination, and fire and electrical hazards. The Court found Edwards responsible for more than 1,400 DC housing code violations and more than 7,200 violations of District law protecting tenants from toxic lead paint. Now, DC Superior Court has ordered Edwards to pay rent refunds totaling $1.5 million to nearly 100 tenants, as well as $5 million in civil penalties for breaking DC law, and over $300,000 in fees and costs. The payment process will be handled as part of Edwards’ ongoing bankruptcy, and OAG will continue to advocate in bankruptcy court for rent refunds to be paid out to tenants.

“Adolphe Edwards forced his tenants to live in squalor and then tried every trick in the book to avoid taking responsibility,” said Attorney General Schwalb. “This judgment is a significant victory for tenants and the District. When landlords put profits over tenants’ health and safety, the independent Office of Attorney General will use the law to hold them accountable and ensure that tenants receive the compensation they deserve.”

A.J. Edwards Realty is a sole proprietorship, owned and managed by Adolphe Edwards. For decades, Edwards owned and managed five apartment buildings located on and around Missouri Avenue NW in Ward 4 (1301 Missouri Ave NW, 1309 Missouri Ave NW, 1315 Missouri Ave NW, 5906 13th Street NW, and 5912 13th Street NW) and four apartment buildings on Alabama Avenue SE in Ward 8 (2425 Alabama Ave SE, 2427 Alabama Ave SE, 2429 Alabama Avenue SE, and 2431 Alabama Avenue SE). The properties contain more than 120 apartments.

In June 2022, OAG sued Edwards for violating the DC housing code, consumer protection law, and the Lead-Hazard Prevention and Elimination Act (LHPEA). Following OAG’s lawsuit, Edwards agreed to fix the dangerous conditions by court-ordered deadlines to avoid having a receiver take over the properties under the District’s Tenant Receivership Act, but failed to meet each of the deadlines. In 2023, the Court found Edwards to be in civil contempt and granted OAG’s request to appoint a receiver to manage the property and address the threats to tenants. Soon after, Edwards declared bankruptcy. Through bankruptcy, Edwards has sold the Alabama Avenue properties, and the Missouri Avenue properties are in the process of being sold. The District has continued to litigate its case seeking to hold Edwards accountable for breaking the law and harming tenants while he owned the properties. 

In late 2024, the DC Superior Court entered a judgment in favor of the District, finding that Edwards violated District law and was liable for more than 1,400 documented violations of DC Housing Code and more than 7,000 violations of the lead hazard law.

In April 2025, DC Superior Court entered an order requiring Edwards to pay $6.8 million in restitution to tenants, civil penalties, and litigation costs. The judgment will be paid as part of the bankruptcy process from the sales proceeds of Edwards’ properties. The judgment includes:

• $1.5 million in rent refunds to nearly 100 tenants. Edwards was ordered to pay tenants back in full for rent they paid between January 1, 2018 until April 26, 2023, with interest. The total amount Edwards owes tenants is $1,535,199.45. OAG will hold a public information session for Edwards’ current and former tenants after payment details are finalized with the Bankruptcy Court.
   
• $5,000,000 in civil penalties. The Court ordered Edwards to pay significant civil penalties for widespread and significant violations of District law.
   
• $300,247 to cover the District’s litigation costs.

A copy of the order on remedies is available here.

A copy of the summary judgment order is available here.

This matter was handled by Assistant Attorney General Wesley Rosenfeld, with support from Assistant Attorney General Matthew Meyer, under the supervision of Joanna Wasik, Chief of the Housing and Environmental Justice Section.

OAG’s Enforcement Authority

OAG exercises its enforcement authority under several District statutes to protect tenants, including the Tenant Receivership Act (TRA), under which OAG can force landlords to fix health and safety issues at rental properties, and the Consumer Protection Procedures Act (CPPA), which protects consumers—including tenants—from deceptive and unfair business practices.

Resources for Tenants

OAG works to ensure that residents across the District have access to safe and affordable housing and holds landlords accountable if they violate the law. Access OAG’s resources to help renters for guidance on how to report problems with your landlord or your housing conditions. Tenants may send complaints about your housing conditions to HousingJustice@dc.gov.