Study finds Langley Park housing unsuitable

This is not original reporting. All information has been compiled from The Washington Post article "Area housing survey finds conditions poor" by Nurith Aizenman.

A Montgomery County housing study found that many people, including many Blair students, in the Langley Park area face unhealthy living conditions.

The mid-September inquiry reported that residents endure lead paint hazards, intense insect infestations and malfunctioning heating systems. Forty percent of the renters surveyed reported peeling paint, which poses an illegal hazard. Twenty percent cited a loss of heat at least once during the winter and 48 percent complained about pest infestations.

In response to the study, Montgomery County Housing officials are contacting all of the 175 rental properties that have been exposed. If found at fault, property owners are required to reduce the lead paint hazards in buildings built after 1950.

CASA de Maryland, an immigrant advocacy group, organized the 18 Langley Park residents who conducted the study. CASA itself was initially commissioned for the project by Montgomery County. After taking part in the study, many surveyors were moved to active involvement in the community.