$41 Million Judgment Brings Justice to Langston Views Tenants After Years of Neglect

November 10, 2025

Attorney General Brian Schwalb has secured a historic $41 million judgment against the owners of Langston Views apartment complex in Southeast Washington for subjecting over 2,500 tenants to deplorable living conditions including widespread mold, broken utilities, and pest infestations. The court found that MP PPH, LLC and its managing member Dr. Anthony Pilavas defied multiple court orders and consent agreements to repair the 674-unit complex, which they purchased in 2015 and refinanced to extract millions while letting it deteriorate. This represents the largest housing-related judgment in DC history, with nearly $30 million designated as restitution for affected tenants and over $11 million in penalties and fees.

Who is affected

More than 2,500 tenants who lived at Marbury Plaza/Langston Views
MP PPH, LLC and Dr. Anthony Pilavas (New York ophthalmologist and managing member)
Barbara Cooper, president of the Langston Views Tenant's Association
Vantage Management (former property management company)
Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner Tomora Redman (8A07)
New owners of Langston Views

What action is being taken

The Attorney General's office is continuing to collect the remaining restitution owed to tenants
The OAG is distributing the $1.1 million already recovered from Vantage Management to affected tenants

Why it matters

This judgment represents the largest housing-related ruling in District of Columbia history and one of the largest against a landlord nationwide, establishing a powerful precedent for tenant protection and landlord accountability. It demonstrates that property owners cannot profit from rental properties while forcing residents to endure dangerous, unlawful conditions, even when defying court orders. The case sends a clear message to landlords throughout Washington that legal and financial consequences will follow when they neglect their obligations to provide safe, habitable housing, reinforcing tenants' fundamental rights to healthy living environments.

What's next

The Attorney General's office will continue to collect the remaining restitution owed from the $41 million judgment and distribute it to affected tenants.

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer