More than 16,000 DC children struggle with asthma – and many live in mold or pest-infested homes that make their asthma worse. It’s one of the reasons I advocate for policy changes to secure safer and healthier housing throughout DC.

My advocacy for systemic change is informed by the experiences of my colleagues working directly with families who need to use the law to compel landlords to make essential repairs when poor housing conditions are harming a child’s health.

When Ms. J* first moved into her home, she never imagined it would make her daughter DJ, now eleven, sick.

For two years, a reoccurring leak brought sewage water from the apartment above Ms. J’s down into their bathroom. Mold and mushrooms began to grow across the ceiling, and holes in the floor and windows led to mice and insect infestations.

DJ has asthma, and the mold and mice made it much worse. She’d startle awake when mice darted across her bed at night and the anxiety would cause her to wheeze uncontrollably.

Read more about Ms. J and DJ here.

The conditions not only affected their physical health, but also meant they couldn’t have family friends or DJ’s classmates over safely. The frustration drove Ms. J to tears.

DJ’s pediatrician introduced Ms. J to Children’s Law Center, and she worked with attorney Lacia Japp to make headway with property management. Japp connected with the DC Office of the Attorney General – which had recently reached a settlement agreement with the owner and property manager of Ms. J’s apartment complex regarding property-wide housing code violations. This settlement agreement, which required prompt attention to necessary repairs, provided the leverage Ms. J needed to get her home fixed properly and quickly.

The bathroom ceiling hasn’t leaked since repairs were made – properly. And the property management company is addressing all the other major issues, including an exterminator that visits regularly so that the infestations don’t return.

Thankfully, DJ is doing better now, and her asthma is under control at home. The family is grateful for Children’s Law Center, but Ms. J sees it as “a bittersweet victory” noting that it shouldn’t have taken a lawyer to make sure sewage wasn’t leaking into her family’s home every morning.

We agree. It’s one of the reasons we’re advocating for systemic reforms like proactive inspections to catch and fix housing issues before they affect the health of kids like DJ.

With gratitude,

Makenna Osborn

Policy Attorney

Children's Law Center

*We always provide clients the option to change their name when sharing their story. Initials and a stock photo have been used at the family’s request. All other details are true.

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