HOC Versus the People: A Case for Concern (Opinion)

November 22, 2024 – By Robert Alex Stubblefield

It goes without saying that this country is undergoing a severe housing crisis. Housing is one of the major concerns especially facing millennials and Generation Z. In response to this, state and local government agencies have taken responsibility to try to build and provide housing especially for marginalized low income communities. But what happens when a housing entity causes harm to their tenants under their watch? What happens when that entity not only causes harm to their tenants, but also tries to cover it up and refuse to acknowledge the harm? Such is the case with the Housing Opportunities Commission of Montgomery County and one of their tenants.

A Brief History of HOC

The Housing Opportunities Commission of Montgomery County was established in 1939 originally under the name Housing Authority of Montgomery County due to a public need for housing in Montgomery County. Per their own website, the current structure of HOC came about “when state and local laws were amended to expand the housing mission of the county and provided HOC with the authority to issue tax-exempt mortgage revenue bonds. Additionally, the County established it’s own Opportunity Housing Act, giving itself broad based powers.” In other words, HOC has been established to have a self-governing structure with accountability only to itself. If HOC was doing it’s job and undergoing audits to show that they are doing everything right, this structure wouldn’t be much of an issue. However, that is not the case. HOC has a history of negligence and disrespect to their tenants. A prime example is that of the Holston family.

The Holston Family

The Holston’s first rented from HOC back in 2018 at a townhouse. Mrs. Holston, a preschool teacher, her husband Carliss and their three children were eager to move in and plant roots. When they saw the condition of the townhouse, there were petrified. In a letter addressed to HOC, “The front yard wasn’t even presentable before and after we moved in. In 2023 HOC maintenance staff Carlos Curray left a hole open in our living room ceiling that was molded in May of 2023 to August of 2023 to find the water leak that was reported.” This is typical of an HOC property in that it usually is found in disrepair or found to be inept. An example is that of Westwood Towers which was condemned due to an electrical problem even though residents have been complaining of conditions there for years. This also ties into the lack of communication that HOC tenants have had with HOC or if there is communication, the response is that the tenants are talked down or concerns whitewashed. Continuing on with the letter, Ms. Latreeda Holston “tried to contact them via phone, text messages, and emails but didn’t receive a response from either Jose Liriano (HOC- Scattered site 5 Property Manager), Alex Zegarra (HOC- Maintenance Supervisor), Ellen Goff (HOC-RealEstate Operations Manager), or the emergency maintenance line.” This unfortunately continues a pattern of tenant neglect by HOC, and tenants unfortunately pay the price. What the Holston’s started doing was they began documenting their ordeal, taking pictures and videos of the mold and ceilings showing the leaks and the damages they were and are causing to their family. The end result of this ordeal was that Mrs. Holston was bitten by a brown recluse spider three times which caused her to not only to become permanently disabled and lose her career as a preschool teacher, but to also develop several health issues. Instead of HOC taking responsibility and offering to cover the medical bills, they retaliated against them. As documented by Mr. and Mrs. Holston, HOC sent over an exterminator that illegally recorded their residence without their consent and then proceeded to take the Holston’s to court. Currently the Holston’s have a court date on January 9^th of 2025 and the community needs to rally to their support.

Desecration of the Moses-Macedonia African Cemetery

Unfortunately, HOC is not only being disrespectful towards their tenants, but they are also disrespectful towards the dead. For the past 8 years, HOC has been taking part in the desecration of the Moses-Macedonia African Cemetery by allowing cars to park on it. This egregiousness shows that if HOC doesn’t care about the dead, that it certainly doesn’t care about the living. HOC must be abolished and a democratically elected body put in its place. In the meantime, we as a community must rally behind the Holston’s on their upcoming court date and show HOC that we as a community are watching them.

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