A Maryland circuit court judge postponed a decision Tuesday on Prince George’s County’s receivership lawsuit against condominium owners who blamed homeless people for breaking their heating system a year ago.
The county had asked the court to appoint a third party to manage operations, complete repairs to a boiler and above-ground electrical feeders erected to power space heaters, and evacuate residents who have refused to leave the cash-strapped Marylander Condominiums.
Judge William Snoddy gave both sides 60 days to sign a settlement they said was already drawn up — and warned a new trial would be scheduled if officials at the Riggs Road property in Adelphi renege on the deal.
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County Attorney D. Michael Lyles told the judge that both sides reached the agreement last week, but he expressed concern that it could still fall apart. He did not share details of the proposal.
The office of Democratic County Executive Aisha Braveboy said she could not comment on pending litigation.
Veronica Venture, an attorney from the Walton Group, represented the condo association in court.
“We’re hoping for the owners to be able to go forth with all of this behind them,” Ms. Venture said after the hearing.
Roughly half of the complex’s 200 units have been without heat since the day before last Thanksgiving.
Homeowners of 58 of the 108 affected units refused to comply with an “unfit for human habitation” notice that county inspectors posted on Dec. 10, directing them to “vacate immediately.”
District Court Judge Bryon Bereano, who ordered the property evacuated, confirmed at a June 28 hearing that the Marylander ran out of money after repairing a property fence the homeless bypassed and installing new building locks.
He also directed the condos to pay for a fire watch to monitor the electrical feeders they erected, which the county has warned is a safety hazard.
Judge Bereano postponed a contempt-of-court hearing last week, allowing Tuesday’s receivership hearing to unfold.
It remains unclear how long the county will wait for the condo owners to complete repairs before the weather gets cold again, or who will pay for repairs.
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