After ‘50 years of harm,’ Wilmington landlord forced to pay for endangering tenants in landmark settlement

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In May 2022, a wall collapsed at an Adam Street apartment complex in Wilmington, sending shock waves through the lives of dozens of tenants. In a matter of hours, their homes were condemned as uninhabitable by city officials. Families with children, elderly residents and pets were suddenly left with nowhere to go.

After an investigation, Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings and the Department of Justice announced a landmark settlement with the apartment building’s landlord, Adolf J. Pokorny, during a press conference Wednesday afternoon. Under the terms of the agreement, Pokorny must pay $150,000 and completely withdraw from the rental business within 30 months.

“Today, I am announcing a significant step toward justice for tenants who have suffered at Pokorny’s hands,” Jennings said. “The settlement ensures that Pokorny will completely exit the rental business within 30 months, putting an end to nearly 50 years of harm to Delaware’s residents. Crucially, the $150,000 monetary part of this settlement secures $125,000 in compensation for former tenants who lived in Pokorny’s condemned N. Adam Street apartments.”

The wall collapse in May 2022 came after years of chronic neglect and exploitative practices by Pokorny, whose misconduct spanned decades, the DOJ said. Investigators said he ignored critical repairs and made careless modifications to buildings — including removing sections of load-bearing walls.

“He repeatedly ignored essential repairs, risking tenants’ safety. He made careless modifications to buildings, including removing sections of load-bearing walls which contributed to the collapse of the wall in May of 2022,” Jennings said. “He violated a prior court order from 2002, showing a long-standing disregard for the law and for his tenants’ well-being.”

In the immediate aftermath, 25 units were affected, forcing tenants to seek shelter. Many found refuge at New Castle County’s Hope Center, a sanctuary for displaced people and people experiencing homelessness.

As a result, the $125,000 settlement will be distributed to all affected victims from that time.

“The amount of money they will be receiving is set at $5,000 each, and I believe there were 25 units affected,” Jennings said.

But the settlement goes beyond financial penalties. Should Pokorny violate the agreement, an additional $600,000 judgment will be levied against him.

Jennings made one thing clear: “This case is a stark reminder of the legal and moral obligations that landlords have to provide safe housing in our city and in our state,” she said. “We should not tolerate it as state officials. We cannot tolerate it in our neighborhoods. And we do not tolerate it in the Department of Justice.”