Law-abiding families in a Democratic stronghold face eviction from their homes because police refused to clear a violent homeless drug camp next door.
Story Snapshot
- Judge Bryon Bereano authorized evictions of over 100 units at Marylander Condominiums after vagrants vandalized the boiler room, leaving residents without heat in freezing weather.
- Prince George’s County police neglected the nearby “The Mountains” encampment—a gang-run open-air drug market—for years despite pleas from low-income, minority families.
- Up to 77 children risk homelessness amid looming snow, while the encampment remains untouched, highlighting failed leftist policies prioritizing criminals over citizens.
- County officials refused repair loan guarantees, trapping owners in a financial bind and forcing evictions in America’s most Democratic county.
Encampment Vandalism Triggers Crisis
Residents of Marylander Condominiums in Prince George’s County endured years of crime from the adjacent “The Mountains” homeless encampment. Gangs control this open-air drug market, fueling prostitution, vandalism, and terror. In early February 2026, vagrants broke into the boiler room, disabling heat across 100 units during a historic cold spell. County’s Department of Permitting, Inspections, and Enforcement declared the units unfit for human habitation in December 2025, escalating the ordeal for working families.
Judge Approves Evictions Amid Police Inaction
Judge Bryon Bereano provisionally approved evictions earlier in February 2026. On February 18, he delayed at an emergency hearing after media reports. By Thursday, February 20, he signed the final order authorizing “all action necessary” to vacate over 100 units. The order posted Friday afternoon, February 21. Police failed to clear the encampment despite resident complaints of nonstop incursions, empowering criminals while law-abiding citizens suffer.
County officials sought court orders without proper resident notice and refused loan guarantees for repairs, citing no public burden for encampment damages. Official Thomas Lester stated the county should not bear such costs. This stance leaves owners unable to fix issues or sell devalued properties, mirroring broader government overreach that punishes the productive.
Residents Speak Out on Injustice
Scott Barber, a resident whose family owned their unit for over 40 years, said: “It’s sad that the county wants to protect the homeless… but make law-abiding people homeless. We feel trapped.” Board member Beverly Habada noted 77 children at risk. Primarily low-income minority families face displacement without viable options, as the encampment persists unchecked. Millions in damages have eroded property values and blocked bank financing.
Update: Judge Rules on Evicting Residents Because Maryland Police Wouldn't Clean up a Homeless Camp https://t.co/bfPcZ0gdGf
— Rosehead (@Rosehea92496012) February 21, 2026
Potential snow Sunday-Monday, February 22-23, could delay evictions, but units lack heat and partial electricity. This reversal—housed residents becoming homeless to shield vagrants—exposes policy failures in Prince George’s County, the nation’s most Democratic-leaning area. It bucks national shifts post-Supreme Court rulings allowing encampment enforcement, fueling debates on prioritizing citizens over chaos.
Sources:
Maryland Judge Signals Condo Evictions Can Proceed After Last-Minute Pause
