Seabury at Friendship Terrace

Friendship Terrace is a wonderful place to live. Things got off to a good start over a year ago when we visited and had dinner. Diane loved the food and cheerful atmosphere in the dining room. As a resident, the feeling of friendship and caring has continued. Executive Director, Semira Negasi, is an impressively caring and capable presence. Her knowledge and experience with the challenges of aging have helped our family resolve very important issues. Community Manager, Tawanda Jackson, is always ready to help with daily questions and problems. All the staff is so nice to Diane, and that adds to the quality of her daily experience. Diane's efficiency apartment, with big beautiful windows, is comfortable and cheerful. Special events, from musical programs, to movies and cultural events are lots of fun. We have recommended Friendship Terrace to our dearest friends.

I have worked here with a patient for a while the only thing is parking most of the time, but one the staff saw me one morning I had my I'd but it wasn't showing my picture so she said that I should all ways make my I'd visible. They need to do some in improvement?

I am an 81 yr. old resident of Friendship Terrace that is disappointed in the management and maintenance of the building. The rod of my blinds has been broken for months and maintenance delays fixing the rod; thus, I have no light in my 400 sq ft efficiency. Furthermore, the administrator ordered pest control to drill holes in the walls and insert poison in the apartments. Had I had a say in this matter, I would have vehemently objected to these aggressively dangerous methods of pest control in my efficiency. There is asbestos and mold in the building and pest control forgot to seal all the holes they drilled. I have informed maintenance of this problem but no action to correct this mistake has been taken. Nobody is really in charge here because employees all pass the buck do NOT take responsibility for mistakes. The hole in my wall is unsealed, leaving an opening for vermin, mold, asbestos and other deadly chemicals to escape. The ceilings are popcorn ceilings, constantly shedding a fine dust and there is no adequate ventilation in the apartments to clean the air. My respiratory problems have worsened substantially leading to multiple hospitalizations because of the indoor air pollution in the building. If you visit, check out the dirty carpeted stairwells that stink and again have NO VENTILATION. Appeals to higher authorities at the Seabury Corporation are routinely ignored. At my advanced age, I shouldnt have to worry about all these issues. There used to be a kind social worker employed here but she resigned in protest when the new administrator started her post because her ability to help residents was being severely restricted. She told me in her own words that she was not being allowed to do her job and represent the concerns of the residents. Now there is no social worker at all in a building that houses elderly people, many of whom suffer severe financial hardship and need empathy and advice. This building needs serious review by HUD, DC Housing Authority and Poison Control. The administrator abuses her power in many ways; for example, by firing or forcing staff to resign and replacing them with her relatives. Friendship Terrace was originally run by the church across the street. Seabury Corporation took it over and replaced compassion with greed. This is a building that claims to be for independent seniors, yet condescends to them in every way. Forget about privacy. Employees enter your apartment whenever they want without your permission. Notices about various problems in the building are clipped outside your apartment door daily, making it obvious to staff and other residents when you are out of town. Your name is posted on your door. Residents are treated more like kids in a dormitory than adults. If you complain you are punished by the administrator who holds weekly staff meetings and gossips about residents. Perhaps, someone will read this review and finally seal the open holes in my wall and fix the blinds! Ironically, one of the only consistently kind and hardworking employees here is the accountant. Perhaps, if the rest of the limited staff were better trained and better paid they would be motivated to do better work.

Ive been a guest at Friendship Terrace for decades and have observed many changes. The current administrator runs the building more like a prison than a retirement community. She actually hired security guards and off duty cops to patrol a floor where she was trying to evict a resident as an intimidation tactic. The guards sat around playing with their phones for over a year; their presence was annoying and perplexing to the community. The resident she tried to evict was a friendly, harmless man. Recently, I heard same administrator harassing and threatening another resident, an 81 yr. old man who was suffering food poisoning, as she threatened to have him put in assisted living. She upset him so much he feels depressed whenever he sees her. Friendship Terrace used to be a friendly place but it is now a hostile environment with rapid turnover. Mice, roaches and bedbugs were all present in the apartment my friend moved into. Maintenance is poor and untrained. Unless the administrator is fired, as she should be for abusing her authority to intimidate vulnerable residents, dont live in this building. At present, it is both a physically and psychologically toxic environment for the elderly.

It might be a little premature to write a review but we have had a wonderful experience with Friendship Terrace so far. My parents will be moving up here from Florida and my sister and I (after vetting a few other places) have chosen these apartments for them. We have toured the place twice, once with our folks. We love the homey atmosphere and the great neighborhood. Everyone is friendly and welcoming too --staff and residents! The residents seem like a bunch of smart, lively, diverse older people who are really engaged and living with purpose. Our contact there, Tawanda Jackson showed us around. She knew every the name of every person we met and answered every question knowledgeably and honestly. If my parents do get a place here, I will update!