Maryland Legal Aid filed a lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of 17 tenants at the historic Sharp Leadenhall apartment complex, accusing property managers of violating the state’s Tenant Safety Act of 2024.

The lawsuit claims FPI Management and Hudson Valley Property Group allowed serious problems — like mold, rodents and structural issues — to go unaddressed in the subsidized housing complex.

“We talked to the management company four months ago,” said Michael Vance, a tenant. “They kept saying, ‘Sure we'll get something done.’ And nothing. So now it's time for us to get the lawyers involved.”

Betty Glenn Thomas, who lives nearby and visits often, said she’s appalled by the conditions.

“If you're afraid of mice getting into your food or infestation, it's not a comfortable place to be,” Thomas said. “Tenants are paying rent. They're doing their part. We want these owners, this management company, to do its part.”

In a statement, Hudson Valley Property Group said the owners and managers “are working to ensure Sharp Leadenhall remains a safe, clean, and high-quality living environment. ”

They added that tenants have a role to play.

“As with any rental housing, paying rent when it’s due, submitting work orders when there is an issue within a unit, and affording timely access for repairs are the residents’ responsibility,” they wrote.

The Hudson Valley Property Group said inspections of all affected units are scheduled to take place today and tomorrow, and that management is committed to resolving issues quickly.

While the group noted there are no open work orders for mold, tenants and their attorney raised mold problems repeatedly during the press conference and in the lawsuit.

The tenants are asking the court to mandate repairs throughout the complex. Attorneys say some buildings are operating without valid rental licenses, while others face revocation.

Maryland Legal Aid shared the following license status details:

• 1020 Leadenhall: 29 units. License revocation pending.
• 150 W. Hamburg: 126 units, including 911 Leadenhall. No license.
• 115 W. Henrietta: 14 units. License revocation pending.
• 199 W. Henrietta: 23 units. No license. 

In response, the Hudson Valley Property Group said only one of the four rental licenses associated with 911 Leadenhall is inactive, due to a door repair that passed final inspection on August 6. All fees, registration, and inspection requirements have been completed, they added.

City Councilman Zach Blanchard joined tenants during the news conference, calling for more accountability.

“We have to be consistent,” Blanchard urged. “We have to be persistent.”

Zafar Shah, advocacy director at Human Right to Housing, said the case is about justice.

“This is not about money damages,” he said. “These tenants . . . are doing what is necessary to improve their building and historic neighborhood. They shouldn’t shoulder that responsibility alone.”

Shah called on the state to act.

“We hope Governor Moore and Housing Secretary Jake Day understand that tax credit and subsidized developments must not remain in unacceptable condition.”

This article has been updated to include statements from Prosek Partners, representing FPI Management and Hudson Valley Property Group.

Correction: This article was updated to include proper attribution from the Hudson Valley Property Group.