Lexington Park Townhomes Overflowing In Trash

LEXINGTON PARK, Md. – The River Bay Townhomes in Lexington Park, MD has residents flocking to social media to vent about the frustrations of their living situation. The affordable housing community has been plagued by an avalanche of trash spilling out of dumpsters, onto the roadways and across residents’ lawns. 

As seen in the gallery below, the garbage pile up has been ongoing for at least the last two weeks. This, however, is not the first time. While normal pickup for waste is once a week or multiple times a week, depending on occupancy, this facility has had an ongoing issue with maintaining a schedule that suits its residential needs. 

A current resident, who asked to remain anonymous, stated, “When I first moved in with my boyfriend, in May of this year, the trash was piled to the brim. Storms will blow the trash around, covering the grass, making it to our porch and doorstep. Another thing that we and other residents have complained to management about is that there are holes in the walls, fixtures exposed, hanging wires, and vent covers missing inside almost every room.” 

She went on to say, “They charge an extra $60.00 per month for a trash fee and it’s obviously not going toward that bill. Our trash overflows, pollutes our air, and I can’t even open my windows because of the smell. In the summer heat, the garbage smells so strongly it would make you sick. I feel extremely taken advantage of because of our lower income status. We are treated as less than – like animals. All our neighbors have the exact same issues. This just isn’t right.” 

When asked if she or others have contacted the property manager, her response was, “We used to a lot. Now, what’s the point? Nothing ever gets done so it’s a waste of time.” 

The trash was picked up on August 30^th, 2023, after weeks of complaints, and below is what remains. The trucks could not fit all the trash into the haul so they took what they could and there is no finite date when they will be returning. 

Before: 

(Photos above provided by community members via Facebook)

After: 

(Photos above shared with TheBayNet.com by a local resident)

This is a common issue with affordable housing and Section 8 residential communities. Not every place runs this way, but far too many get away with it. Since this facility is tucked away behind PAX in Lexington Park, perhaps River Bay Townhomes thinks it will go unnoticed or that people do not listen to those with lower incomes. There should be basic human needs met, safety hazards addressed, and a clean living space for any housing provided.  

Crime and theft are also issues in these areas. River Bay Townhomes provides garages for storage but refuses to provide any locking devices or keys for the residents. So, the residents must pay to keep their belongings safe. 

According to the anonymous resident, they just raised the rent to $1,600.00 per month. For that kind of money, this issue is unacceptable in every way possible.  

If this is happening, talk with your city, and possibly three departments of the city, health, code enforcement, and planning. Also, if your complex has many lower-income residents, you could talk to the legal aid society about whether they would file a lawsuit on your behalf. Of course, that takes longer to resolve than you would like, but sometimes the threat or a suit or the actual filing of one inspires a landlord to clean up the dumpster area.

TheBayNet reached out to River Bay Townhomes corporate office but never received a response as of the release of this article. 

To report similar housing situations in St. Mary’s County, contact the Health Department at 301.475.4330.

Please, share your opinions and comments below! 

Citation: [1] https://www.useful-community-development.org/apartment-dumpster-area-problem.html 

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