U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron, Safe Housing Summit, Maryland 2024

Baltimore, Maryland – In a shocking turn of events, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, Erek L. Barron, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Inspector General, Rae Oliver Davis, have been accused of neglecting their duties in regards to ensuring the health and safety of tenants living in HUD-assisted housing.

The allegations stem from a seminar held at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Baltimore, which focused on promoting the health and safety of tenants living in HUD-assisted housing by eliminating environmental hazards and combating sexual misconduct. However, sources close to the matter have come forward claiming that the seminar was a mere facade, and that little to no action has been taken to address the systemic environmental and housing violations that exist in underserved communities.

“Marylanders deserve to live and raise their families in areas that are safe and where those who are tasked with providing HUD housing treat them with dignity and respect,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. “My office is committed to addressing systemic environmental and housing violations that exist in underserved communities who rely on HUD’s housing assistance programs. We hope our partnership with HUD-OIG, and with other federal agencies and community advocates, will afford us the necessary resources to support vulnerable communities in a more coordinated and impactful way. The Safe Housing Summit is the first step of our expanded effort.”

However, critics argue that the summit was nothing more than a PR stunt, and that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has done little to address the root causes of the problem. “Everyone deserves to live in a home that is free from exposure to lead and other environmental hazards, and without the threat of sexual harassment or sexual assault by housing providers,” said Inspector General Oliver Davis. “Outreach summits like the one we cohosted today with the U.S. Attorney are an important way to increase awareness of tenants’ rights within HUD-assisted housing and build stronger partnerships within the community. We will continue to work closely with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office to investigate these violations of law.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office has released a statement urging anyone with information about environmental hazards and unsafe unit conditions in HUD-assisted housing to come forward. The statement also notes that individuals who believe they may have been victims of environmental injustices or housing discrimination may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (410) 209-4965 or USAMD.Environment@usdoj.gov.

The HUD Office of Inspector General has also set up a hotline for individuals to report any incidents of environmental hazards and unsafe unit conditions. The hotline can be reached at 1-800-347-3735 or by visiting the website at www.hudoig.gov/hotline.

In related news, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has announced plans to increase funding for community outreach and education programs aimed at addressing housing violations and environmental hazards in underserved communities.

Related Federal Cases