Via Shutterstock.

Via Shutterstock.

Despite recent legislation passed specifically in response to the Museum Square debacle—wherein the owners of the Section 8 housing unit in downtown D.C. tried to force tenants out by asking for a more than $800,000 per unit buyout—the residents are still facing eviction. In response, they’re making a last-ditch effort to save their homes with a community rally in front of their building this morning.

“We are rallying to save our homes,” resident leader Jenny Tang said in a statement. “The owner has made plenty of money from Section 8, and can continue to make it if he keeps Section 8. We hope the owner will change his mind and preserve our homes for the younger generation, a place to stay for our children, that’s what we want!”

When the owner of a residential property decides they want to sell, by law, they have to offer it to the residents at whatever the fair market price is. When The Bush Company, the owners of the Section 8 complex that houses mostly Asian-Americans and Black residents, decided they want to sell, they offered it to the residents at a whopping price of $250 million. A judge ruled in favor of the tenants when they banded together to sue their landlord.

But after the ruling, The Bush Company informed residents that they’re planning to end the Section-8 contract, which keeps the units affordable to its low-income tenants.

The tenants are doing all they can to keep staying in Museum Square, which “is home to over half the remaining Chinese population in Chinatown”—including a large elderly population—as well as many other long-time D.C. residents.

Today’s rally will take place out side of the apartment complex at 10:30 a.m. and residents will be joined by tenant leaders from across the country and the U.K., who are in town for the annual National Alliance of HUD Tenants conference.