Maryland judge delays Prince George’s receivership lawsuit against condos near homeless camp

By Sean Salai - The Washington Times - Tuesday, September 22, 2026

A Maryland circuit court judge on Tuesday delayed Prince George’s County’s receivership lawsuit against the Marylander Condominiums, whose residents say neighboring homeless people vandalized their boiler 10 months ago.

Judge Ada Clark-Edwards granted a continuance to Calvin Osborne, an attorney who took over the case Friday on behalf of a newly elected condo owners’ board.

“We have not had time to review the case,” Mr. Osborne told the judge.

Judge Clark-Edwards’ ruling canceled a trial set for Wednesday. She asked the lawyers to reconvene on Oct. 8 for a status update and on Nov. 10 for a trial.

County attorney D. Michael Lyles opposed the continuance. He said condo representatives have falsely accused the county of trying to “take over the property” and noted a failure to fix code violations.

“None of these violations have been cured in a year,” Mr. Lyles said in court.

Roughly half of the complex’s 200 units lost heat the day before Thanksgiving. Homeowners from 58 of 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.”

County inspectors asked property managers to bury high-voltage wires that contractors erected to power space heaters after the incident, and said there was no evidence homeless people vandalized the heat. Their lawsuit accuses property manager Quasar of delaying repairs.

Receivership would empower a court-appointed third party to oversee operations, pay bills and finish repairs while residents are evacuated.

Yvonne Stewart attended Tuesday’s hearing on behalf of her daughter, a condo owner who still does not have heat in her unit. “Who knows if the electrical grid can handle it?” she said.

The county has proposed Towson-based Casey Group Ltd., Columbia-based Noble Realty Advisors and Crownsville-based Black Creek Consulting Ltd. as possible receivers. All three regularly coordinate auctions and liquidations for failed storefronts, urban rehabilitation projects, and multi-unit housing developments.

Brian Casey, president of the Casey Group real estate firm, said the Marylander is likely to go under unless county and federal agencies step up to finance repairs. He estimated that repairs could cost $10,000 to $15,000 per unit, or $10 million total.

“Somebody’s gotta pony up a couple million bucks just to make it livable,” Mr. Casey said in a phone call. “But where do you get the money?”

Maryland District Court Judge Bryon Bereano, who ordered the property evacuated, confirmed at a June 28 hearing that the condo association’s lack of funds had stalled heating repairs.

Mr. Lyles, the county’s attorney, told The Times after Tuesday’s circuit court hearing that the county would expedite repairs and move evacuated residents back into their homes. He expressed concerns for their “health, life and safety.”

Quasar CEO Kenneth Brown also attended Tuesday’s hearing. He said banks have denied financing since the county posted its evacuation notice and said condo dues cannot cover the repairs.

“My conjecture is that the receiver will liquidate the property and these low-income people will get nothing,” Mr. Brown said after the hearing. “You want to make a wager on what this property will look like in five years, and who will benefit from it?”