Families forced out of unsafe DC building, moved to hotels

WASHINGTON - Some D.C. families were concerned that they would be tossed out of their apartments and onto the streets in just a few weeks, but they are now breathing a sigh of relief.

More than a dozen families lived in a building on Knox Place in Southeast D.C. that is an eyesore, inside and out. Residents say the units had mold damage and the place was crawling with insects.

Neighborhood commissioner Paul Trantham says he begged D.C. officials to do something about it.

"So bad that I wouldn't even put a dog to live in there," Trantham said.

The city shut the building down after finding 287 code violations, but then came the problem of finding new housing for the tenants. The quick fix was a few weeks at a hotel along New York Avenue.

Charles Hudson now lives in the hotel with his 11-year-old son. Earlier Friday, he made a plea for help from Mayor Muriel Bowser.

"If this runs out, we're back on the street," said Hudson. "I think she should start by extending our stay until we find somewhere to go."

Later in the day, the Department of Human Services said that families are being helped as they look for new homes, and hotel rooms will be provided until those homes are found.