A Capitol Hill landlord and his tenant are locked in a heated six-year battle that’s spiraled into lawsuits, a violent clash, and a stalled property, highlighting D.C.’s tense housing disputes. Since late 2019, Jeffrey Levin, a seasoned landlord, and Michele Watley, his last remaining tenant in a six-unit building on 6th Street N.E., have clashed over unpaid rent, property conditions, and renovation plans. What began as a disagreement over a $1.5 million property purchase has escalated into a high-stakes feud, complete with nearly 100 complaints, a baseball bat incident, and dueling legal claims.
Levin, who has managed 28 rental units in D.C. since 1994, bought the Capitol Hill building in 2019 with plans to renovate. Based on the prior owner’s assurances, he expected all tenants to vacate, but Watley, who signed her $800-a-month lease in 2017, stayed put. Levin claims she owes over $12,000 in back rent and has blocked renovations by filing dozens of complaints with the D.C. Department of Buildings, resulting in 35 violations that prevent him from securing a certificate of occupancy. Watley counters that the building suffers from severe issues like sewage leaks, electrical failures, and structural damage, accusing Levin of neglect and harassment.
The conflict took a dramatic turn in October 2023 when video footage captured Watley striking Levin and his wife with a baseball bat during a hallway confrontation outside her apartment. The grainy clip shows Watley, bat in hand, swinging as Levin shouts, “You just hit my wife!” and demands she back off. D.C. police investigated but filed no charges. Watley later sought a restraining order, claiming Levin and his wife assaulted her by pushing and shoving, but a judge denied it in March 2024, ruling her the aggressor based on the video.
Legal battles have only deepened the rift. In October 2024, Levin sued Watley for $1.5 million in D.C. Superior Court, citing lost business opportunities due to the stalled renovations and his defaulted property loan. Watley fired back with a counterclaim, alleging assault, privacy violations, and failure to maintain the building. In June 2024, a court ordered Levin to refund Watley $2,685 for reduced services, further complicating the dispute.
Watley also formed a one-person “Sixth Street Northeast Tenant Association” in August 2023 under D.C.’s Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA), securing her right to buy the building if sold, a move Levin says has thwarted his plans. The feud has drawn attention to D.C.’s housing laws, with landlord advocates pointing to it as a case study in overly tenant-friendly policies.
On September 17, 2025, the D.C. Council will vote on the Rebalancing Expectations for Neighbors, Tenants, and Landlords (RENTAL) Act, which aims to streamline evictions for non-paying or disruptive tenants and exempt new rentals from TOPA for 15 years. The bill, backed by Mayor Muriel Bowser, passed its first vote 10-2 in July 2025 but faces opposition from tenant groups who argue it weakens protections and risks displacement. Watley remains in the apartment as of September 16, 2025, and the property’s future is uncertain. Financially strained, Levin calls the situation “ruinous,” while Watley insists she’s fighting for her rights in a defective building. This Capitol Hill landlord feud highlights the complexities of DC real estate and tenant rights.
