Jack Johnson, Prince George’s County Executive

County Executive Jack Johnson condemned 22 county apartment complexes as havens for crime in March, including two owned by Southern Management Corp., which provides nearly 500 apartments for university graduate students. Southern Management owns Graduate Hills and Graduate Gardens among other apartment complexes in the county.

Johnson threatened to close these 22 complexes if they did not meet fire and building codes within 30 days, including two of Southern Management’s largest student housing complexes — University Gardens and Hampshire Village in Adelphi and Hyattsville, respectively.

During a news conference, Johnson said the 22 apartment complexes collectively accounted for more than 19,000 calls for county police service in 2004 and that the code violations contributed to the high crime rates in the areas around the buildings.

However, Ron Frank, president of Southern Management, maintains his buildings are safe and said he thinks it is unlikely the county would move in on the complexes.

In response to Johnson’s proclamation, Frank filed an $18 million lawsuit for damages after a 40 percent decrease in new customers. He said it is a way to “compel the county to provide staffing and resources necessary to combat crime, and to force [Johnson] to undo the harm he caused to communities and residents.”

“[Johnson’s speech] was “filled with incorrect and misleading statements,” Frank said. “It was blaming what I consider to be the victims.”

Frank said the crime is evidence of too few county police and is not the fault of apartment owners, but the county disagrees.

“The conditions at these complexes … can be conducive to criminal activity,” said John Erzen, spokesman for the county executive, describing rats in the complexes and trash piled so high as to block first-story windows.

But Frank said that none of his buildings were ill-kept and that the county found only minor violations upon inspection of University Gardens and Hampshire Village — the two buildings under scrutiny.

“I take very extensive precautions for safety, and it’s very well lit,” he said. “You can’t call a cracked sidewalk a breeding ground for crime.”

Many residents of Southern Management buildings agree that crime is a problem in their communities, but few can pinpoint whether this is the responsibility of management or the police.

A fourth year electrical engineering doctoral student recalled complaining to management about crime in the Graduate Hills area and being told it was the university’s responsibility, and that management could do nothing about it.

“Crime is a problem here,” said second year engineering master’s student Pasapong Pahuchon. “Management could provide more security.”

But many thought crime was simply the result of the urban location.

“I don’t know if the police can do anything about crime here,” Graduate Hills resident Omar Karaman said. However, he said that it had been difficult to talk to management about his problems.

Ezren said Johnson’s plan had been well-received by the public, saying the county executive had received more positive calls from residents than he had ever received in 10 years of public service.

Erzen was unable to comment on the lawsuit because it was in litigation, but said Johnson’s demands were not an ultimatum.

“Once meetings with apartment owners take place, the county will work with them to clean up and provide safe, clean, habitable places for people to live and raise families,” he said. “If the demands aren’t met, the next step is to pull the license from the management companies.”

He said the Johnson’s administration does not expect the county to have to take over the complexes.

“We haven’t gotten there and we’re not expecting to get there. The county … may move in and take over, but we’re not going to knock anything over,” he said. “In no way are we going to displace anyone, and if that were to happen, the county will use every resource we have to find homes for the displaced.”

Frank said he doubted the county would take over the apartment complexes.

“[Johnson] made the mistake of blaming, without doing research, three of our communities.” Frank said. “I want to be held accountable as a landlord, but I’m also going to hold him responsible.”