04-06-2025
Tenants say church took down Pride decorations at DC apartment building
WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — The District is decorated for WorldPride with rainbow bunting and banners everywhere. But there's conflict and confusion at an apartment building in Northwest.
Renters at 2014 13th Street said they got a reprieve to keep their decorations, only to see them ripped down.
'We just decided it's WorldPride. So I asked the girls–it's a three-unit building–I asked them if they were interested in doing it. They were really excited about it. So I bought some decorations and I put them up,' said tenant Jay Richards.
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Hours after Richards put them up, management company EJF Rentals told the renters they had to take them down by June 1 because the decorations were not 'in line with property guidelines.'
Richards pushed back, but EJF said there was a provision in the lease that they couldn't decorate in shared exterior spaces. They were given a deadline of Tuesday, June 3, at 1 p.m. to take down the decorations or have them removed.
'I want to be a good neighbor. You know, we are willing to take them down right after Pride,' Richards said. 'I wanted to leave them up all month.'
After DC News Now reached out, EJF said they could keep it up through Monday as a compromise.
EJF Real Estate Services is proud to support the LGBTQ+ community. We've been an official sponsor of the DC Pride Parade for many years and will be out there again this Saturday with our staff and company van, standing for inclusion, respect, and community.
We manage 2014 13th Street NW on behalf of the adjacent church, which owns the property. As the property manager, we are responsible for enforcing the lease, which includes a provision restricting decorations in shared exterior spaces.
We've heard directly from residents who requested to keep their Pride decorations up through the weekend in celebration of the parade, with a commitment to remove them by Monday. While we remain mindful of our responsibility to both the lease and our client, we believe this is a respectful and reasonable approach. EJF will not be removing the decorations ourselves and is honoring the residents' plan, trusting they will follow through as promised.
We respect the rights of our clients and the obligations of the lease, and we also believe in supporting thoughtful, inclusive communities. In this case, we are doing our best to navigate both.
EJF stands with our owners, residents, and broader community as we continue to work towards fostering respectful and inclusive environments.
Matthew Greeves, Founder, EJF
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But the building is owned by Walker Memorial Church, right next door. Tuesday night at 7:20 p.m., the church's custodian walked over and cut down the decorations that extended from the front door to the fence and along the fence.
Richards took video as it happened.
'We've been really friendly with the custodian himself. And I just feel awful,' Richards said. 'I feel awful for him. I mean, I guess he had to do his job, but that was, it was just awful to see.'
Richards said it's important to celebrate who he is and the community at large, especially when many people in the LGBTQ community are under attack.
'The management company told us that they wouldn't tear it down. But I guess the church decided they had to tear it down and they tore it down,' Richards said.
Richards said they also put these American flags in the ground along with the Pride decorations. The American flags were left behind.
Richards is looking forward to the weekend with friends from out of town.
'I'm just looking forward to a good energy in a time that feels like a lot of people, including myself, are under attack,' Richards said.
Walker Memorial Baptist Church sent an email late Tuesday night to renters:
Good evening Tenants of 2014 13th Street, NW:
We write to notify you that the decorations placed outside of the property are in the process of being and will be removed. Decorations on the outside of the property or common areas regardless of the event, holiday, season, occasion, or reason violate the lease terms. You were notified of this violation on Thursday, May 29, 2025, and asked to remove the decorations by June 1, 2025. You refused to remove the decorations. You were then provided an extension to remove the decorations by Tuesday, June 3, 2025, by 1 pm. You again refused to comply, and instead interfered with and obstructed the process of removal.
This is not about subject matter. The mission of the Walker Memorial Baptist Church is a prayerful congregation, walking in the spirit, bringing souls to Christ. That is our focus. We seek unity, not division, through our lease requirement that there be no decorations on the outside of the property or common areas. In doing so, we avoid arbitrary decision-making and the need to distinguish between the content or subject matter of any decorations. Otherwise, this would necessarily distract from our mission, tenants' peace (including future tenants) at the property, neighbors, and our work and presence in the community.
Going forward, we kindly request that you abide by the lease terms.
Walker Memorial Baptist Church
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