The long, painful story of Langston Views, formerly known as Marbury Plaza, has ended in a resounding victory for residents who lived for years under conditions that no one should have to endure.
Attorney General Brian Schwalb announced that the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) secured a $41 million judgment against MP PPH, LLC and its managing member, New York ophthalmologist Dr. Anthony Pilavas, for their repeated neglect of the 674-unit complex on Good Hope Road in Southeast Washington.
The ruling is the largest housing-related judgment in District history and one of the largest against a landlord in the nation.
The Superior Court found that MP PPH and Pilavas defied court orders and forced more than 2,500 tenants to live with widespread mold, recurring water leaks, broken elevators, rodent and insect infestations, and long periods without heat, air conditioning, or hot water.
“This is a significant and historic victory for thousands of Marbury Plaza tenants, who were subjected to dangerous and unlawful living conditions for years,” Schwalb stated in announcing the judgment. “Every Washingtonian deserves a safe, healthy place to call home. When property owners fail to comply with District law, and especially when they defy court orders, my office will hold them accountable to the full extent of the law.”
A Pattern of Abuse and Defiance, Record Judgment for Tenants
Court records show that MP PPH bought the property in 2015 for $55 million and refinanced it six years later, taking more than $15 million in cash.
During that same period, the complex fell into dangerous disrepair. Inspectors found mold in 96% of apartments and all 98 common areas, broken plumbing, electrical hazards, and elevators that routinely failed.
In 2022, the owners agreed to a consent order requiring them to repair the complex. When they failed to comply, the court found them in contempt the following year, calling their conduct “flagrant” and imposing rent abatements for tenants. The Court of Appeals later upheld that finding, describing the evidence of contempt as “staggering.”
Even after those rulings, conditions at the property remained unsafe. A receiver appointed to oversee Marbury Plaza reported continuing leaks, nonfunctioning laundry rooms, and widespread mold throughout the buildings.
Judge Yvonne Williams ordered MP PPH and Pilavas to pay $29.8 million in restitution to tenants and $11.1 million in civil penalties and attorneys’ fees.
The court concluded that the award “serves as a reminder to landlords that legal intervention is best prevented by timely, ongoing investments that ensure their properties offer the habitable conditions to which all tenants in the District of Columbia have a legal right.”
Voices From the Record
Tenant leader Barbara Cooper, president of the Langston Views Tenant’s Association, said in court filings that the residents’ struggle for justice was long and difficult.
“Our landlord violated our rights, lied to us, and forced us to live in conditions no one should have to live in,” she stated. “My apartment flooded dozens of times, and many of my neighbors went through the same thing or worse. It has been a long, hard fight for justice, but we are grateful to the Office of the Attorney General and our attorneys at Legal Aid.”
Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Tomora Redman (8A07) also commended the outcome in statements contained in the court record.
“This historic judgment underscores the District’s commitment to protecting tenants’ rights and ensuring safe, habitable housing for all residents,” she said. “Washingtonians deserve action, not neglect, and this outcome shows what accountability looks like.”
A Message to Landlords Across the District
The OAG has already recovered $1.1 million from the property’s former management company, Vantage Management, which will be distributed to affected tenants. Schwalb’s office said it will continue to collect the remaining restitution owed.
Langston Views is now under new ownership. The property, which had been known as Marbury Plaza under MP PPH’s ownership, was acquired by Langston Views LLC, which has since invested in rehabilitating the complex.
For the thousands of residents who endured years of hardship, the judgment offers long-delayed justice and a message to landlords throughout the city.
“This stands as a reminder that the law will not permit landlords to profit while their tenants live in unsafe and unlawful conditions,” officials declared.