In 2021, Howard University students protested against the living conditions on-campus. The move came after some students say they saw mold, mice and other issues in their dorms, allegedly leading to health issues.
“In College Hall North (CHN), not just College Hall South (CHS), the windows do not open. It was very difficult to get fresh air,” said Mya Maristany, who is an African American studies major and former CHN resident.
According to the Washington Post, a Howard University student even filed a lawsuit against Corvias, and the university, alleging they “failed to resolve a widespread mold problem.”
Corvias “is one of the largest on-campus student housing managers in the U.S.”
Since the protests, Howard University is no longer listed as one of Corvias’ clients.
“For my roommate, some of her shoes were molded, and some of mine were as well. I had two or three that were molded. And one of my suitcases had black mold on it,” said Lydia Gebru, a sophomore international affairs major and former Harriet Tubman Quadrangle resident.
In November 2021, students reached an agreement with the university.
Since the protest ended, Maristany and Gebru say they have not experienced any major issues. But they are now worried about the safety of their dorms.
“The side doors and people being able to get into (the) Towers, and hearing about it. That definitely does not make me feel safe,” said Gebru.
We asked Campus Apartments about those concerns, the company which currently oversees Howard University’s dorms.
They say the company plans on upgrading security, though a timeline was not provided.
“I believe it has improve(d). We’re definitely listening to their needs and what they want to improve, you know, working with the RAs and GAs,” said Derek Patron, the sales and marketing manager for Campus Apartments. “They are being heard and I noticed processes in play to improve it as much as we can. We wanted to be more like an apartment living, so you know, very like elevated student housing.”
Howard recently “consolidated management of the entire housing portfolio” under Campus Apartments, according to a university spokesperson in a recent update.
“Here at the towers, it’s a new management company. We’re a little bit more hands-on. When I mean hands-on, more attentive to the student’s needs, maintenance requests, getting things done in a timely manner, and prioritizing the student,” said Patron.
Christion Billy 