Property managers at the Marylander Condominiums in Prince George’s County have been ordered by District Court Judge Bryon Bereano to begin evacuating residents and repairing a heating system within 14 days, after homeless individuals allegedly vandalized the property last November. Half of the complex’s 200 units have been without central heating since Thanksgiving, and many residents have lost electricity as portable heaters overload the system.

Judge Bereano emphasized balancing resident safety during extreme cold with the condo association’s lack of funds to make timely repairs. He directed property manager Quasar to address electrical issues, repair a hole in the perimeter fence created by transients, and provide daily logs to county fire officials confirming that the homeless have not further damaged the electrical installation.

Quasar and the condo association board cite financial constraints as a barrier to immediate repairs. Dennis Whitley, attorney for the condo board, said funding is unavailable as Quasar seeks a bank loan for the work, while Quasar managing director Phil Dawit blamed the county for failing to disperse the homeless encampment, which he said led banks, insurers, and vendors to sever ties with the property.

Residents are paying a steep personal price. Some, like Jason Vanhorne, have spent thousands on hotels after losing power. Others, including long-term residents Ernesto Chamurro and Lucienne Michaud, remain in units without heat, electricity, or hot water. Michaud, who has lived in the Marylander since 1988, described freezing water from faucets and ongoing issues with homeless individuals entering the building to sleep and defecate in common areas.

Judge Bereano scheduled a follow-up hearing for March 17 and indicated he would not hold the condo association in contempt as long as Quasar acts “in good faith” to repair the building and assist county officials in persuading residents to leave. The court acknowledged the association’s difficulties after county inspectors declared the property “unfit for human habitation” in December, a designation that prompted banks to withdraw financing for repairs.

Residents say the situation has made daily life nearly impossible. “We have no way of cooking, preserving food, or living in a civilized society,” Vanhorne said. Others expressed doubt that repairs would be completed in the two-week timeframe, leaving many to endure dangerously cold and unsafe conditions.