Howard County tenants unionizing to get apartment maintenance issues fixed
BALTIMORE -- A group of Howard County tenants are unionizing to get concerns addressed at their apartment complex.
Residents of Columbia Pointe, at 5764 Stevens Forest Road, say management isn't doing enough, so now they're banding together to get their problems fixed.
Kevin Jeudy, who has lived at Columbia Pointe for five years, said the first red flag was seen in their kitchen.
"Randomly, the light in our kitchen just nearly fell to the floor," Jeudy said. "It was dangling by a wire there for a while. We put in a request for that to be fixed. It took weeks for anyone to come out and even take a look at the thing."
Jeudy's family continued to run into problems but said he didn't realize a number of his neighbors were dealing with maintenance issues as well until dozens of them met this past June over concerns about an asbestos project.
"People were there talking about their broken air conditioners, infestations with roaches, rodents," Jeudy said. "Some people had mentioned snakes. (It's) a very clear through-line of just a lack of communication."
Since that meeting, and after finding a county ordinance that protects tenant unions, Jeudy and his neighbors have been meeting regularly to get a union together.
WJZ called and emailed Columbia Pointe for comment and a worker in the apartment complex's leasing office assured the property manager would be notified, but WJZ hasn't heard from them yet.
Columbia Pointe, owned by Philadelphia-based GoldOller Real Estate Investments, has properties in 10 states besides Maryland.
Coalition supporting unionization
Jeudy is also part of the Howard County Rent Stabilization Coalition, which is a grassroots organization supporting Columbia Pointe tenants' efforts to unionize.
Jeudy said this will be a first for the county and hopes others will take note.
"You can make the choice to come together with your community and to start asking for what you deserve," he said. "Asking to live dignified in your community, rather than just getting by."
The union will be electing five leaders Tuesday night, soon after, they plan to start going to management.