CASA’s Fight for Safe Housing Continues, Heading to the Maryland Supreme Court in October
CASA continues years long fight for housing justice against landlords of Park Tanglewood Apartments

By PRESS OFFICER
CASA

RIVERDALE, Md. (Aug. 19, 2025)—CASA, a leading immigration advocacy group, is taking its legal battle against landlord Tanglewood Venture LP to the Maryland Supreme Court. In July 2023, CASA member tenants filed rent escrow actions against the Park Tanglewood apartment complex, where tenants have endured years of unsafe and unhealthy living conditions. Park Tanglewood did not have a rental license for over two years due to the poor conditions, but still wanted the tenants to pay their full rent to the court in order for the court to oversee repairs. After two years of appeals, the issue has finally reached Maryland’s highest court.

“The Supreme Court of Maryland has granted our appeal, with oral arguments scheduled for October. Given that the Court accepts only a select few cases for review, we are encouraged that they have chosen to hear our arguments on this critical issue,” shared Jacob Kmiech, Esq., CASA staff attorney.

“The District Court and Circuit Court ruled against tenants like me, even though Park Tanglewood operated without a rental license for years. I’m fighting for a decent place to live and for the landlord to address the pest issues. But instead of fixing the problems, Park Tanglewood is just trying to avoid responsibility,” shared CASA member Gary Wilson, one of the last remaining plaintiffs fighting this case.

In July 2023, CASA filed 22 rent escrow cases against Park Tanglewood to pressure the landlord into meeting basic living standards. For years, tenants have endured bedbug infestations, rodents, insects, broken A/C, and unreliable heat and hot water. On top of these issues, the landlord illegally collected rent for over two years without a valid rental license. Out of the original cases, eleven were settled, nine were voluntarily dismissed, and only two, including Wilson’s, were dismissed at the landlord’s request.

During the appeal process, one tenant moved out while Wilson continued living at the complex. The judge dismissed the cases as moot, ruling that since the landlord could not legally collect rent for the unlicensed period, there was no active dispute. This created a harmful legal loophole. Landlords now have little incentive
 
to improve conditions because they can force tenants to pay rent into escrow in district court, only to have cases dismissed later on appeal as moot. As a result, tenants remain stuck in unsafe and unhealthy housing with no effective solution.

Wilson shares, “I would like to see the tenants in my building resolve their issues. Right now either management has to get their act together or the tenant has to move out. Many of the tenants just moved out. I am fighting so that management has to hold up their end of the deal.”

“The Supreme Court of Maryland traditionally hears only cases of great public importance, so we are very pleased that they have taken Gary’s case,” shared Jonathan Riedel, Esq., supervising attorney for housing. “We look forward to explaining why a landlord who violates the law shouldn’t be rewarded—least of all under a law that was enacted to protect tenants.”

The statement of the issues in the case can be found on the Supreme Court’s website.

With over 173,000 lifetime members across 46 US states, CASA is a national powerhouse organization building power and improving the quality of life in working-class: Black, Latino/a/e, Afro-descendent, Indigenous, and Immigrant communities. CASA creates change with its power-building model blending human services, community organizing, and advocacy in order to serve the full spectrum of the needs, dreams, and aspirations of members. www.wearecasa.org

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Hospice of the Chesapeake Announces Partnership with OnSite Medical House Calls to Expand Access to Palliative Care Home Visits

By ELYZABETH MARCUSSEN
Hospice of the Chesapeake

PASADENA, Md. (Aug. 21, 2025)—Hospice of the Chesapeake is proud to announce a new partnership with OnSite Medical House Calls, a trusted provider of medical house call services, to expand access to high-quality palliative care for patients in the comfort of their own homes.

Through this collaboration, patients living with serious illnesses will have access to in-home palliative care visits designed to manage symptoms, provide guidance on care goals, and support families through complex medical decisions. By combining the hospice’s expertise in advanced illness care with OnSite Medical House Calls’ experience in delivering medical care directly to patients’ homes, this partnership ensures that more individuals can receive compassionate, personalized support without unnecessary hospital visits.

“This partnership allows us to extend the reach of our palliative care team while keeping our clinics in Waldorf and Pasadena open to patients who prefer in-person visits,” said Becky Miller, CEO of Hospice of the Chesapeake. “By working together with OnSite Medical House Calls, we’re able to give continuity to our care—making sure patients and families have access to the support they need, whether in our clinics or at home.”

Nicole Bachmann, CRNP, Medical Director of OnSite Medical House Calls, added: “This partnership strengthens our shared mission to meet patients where they are, with the care they need and the compassion they deserve.”

This partnership reflects a shared commitment to easing the burden of illness while empowering patients and families with the tools, resources, and care they need to focus on quality of life.

For more information about Hospice of the Chesapeake’s services or to learn about this partnership, please visit http://www.hospicechesapeake.org or call 1-877-462-1102.

 
At Hospice of the Chesapeake, we support individuals and families facing progressive, serious illness to reimagine hope—living each day with intention and peace—while ensuring our nonprofit organization remains a vital resource for future generations. We develop care plans to minimize symptoms and focus on what matters most for patients and families in Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles and Prince George’s counties. Caring for life throughout the journey with illness and loss is the mission of Hospice of the Chesapeake. For more information, please visit www.hospicechesapeake.org

OnSite Medical House Calls provides compassionate primary medical care, as well as palliative care to patients in the comfort of their own homes. For more information, visit: https://www.onsitemedicalcalls.com/

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