Photos by Kyle Green | The Roanoke Times

Rose Son and her children, Adam, 12, and Alexis, 8,, walk through trash in their back yard at Maple Grove Apartments on Pilot Street in Roanoke. Three code inspectors began an inquiry Thursday into all 40 units there. Son said she can't remember when she last saw someone from the complex pick up trash or cut the lawn.

Police Sgt. Scott Altizer passes through Maple Grove Apartments on Pilot Street in Roanoke after recent tensions between residents.

City code inspectors condemned four more units at Maple Grove Apartments, the Northwest Roanoke complex where tensions between American-born blacks and African immigrants have drawn the attention of police lately.

Separately, the U.S. Justice Department Community Relations Service in Washington has been asked to help play a peacemaker role at the blighted, four-building complex. The agency specializes in preventing and resolving racial discord, a spokesman said.

"This is a hot spot, and we felt we needed additional resources to foster some positive community activity," said Beth Lutjen, director of the Catholic Diocese of Richmond's Refugee and Immigration Service in Roanoke, who said Friday that she phoned the Justice Department. The service has been placing families from African countries and others in area apartments for years, with low rents being a key factor in settling them.

Friday's inspections brought the total of condemnations to five during the past month. One apartment was condemned on April 2. On Thursday the city began a sweeping inquiry that will include the entire 40-unit facility. The city has assessed the complex's value at $728,600.

Only about half the apartments had been inspected by Friday afternoon, and many code violations were found in units that aren't being condemned, but for which repairs will be ordered.

Residents say poor maintenance at the complex contributes to dissatisfaction that boils over into anger at other residents. Roanoke police met Lutjen and other RIS officials Friday to plan to ease residents' tensions. An important part of the strategy will be to persuade the property's owner to "make that apartment complex a much nicer place to live," said Lt. Todd Clingenpeel, supervisor for the area.

Clingenpeel said police plan to meet soon with the owner, Dr. George Abraham, a Roanoke allergist. Although Abraham has met with The Roanoke Times, he has declined to respond on the record to any questions related to the apartments. On Friday, his wife, Isis Abraham, who works at the allergist's private practice at 1117 S. Jefferson St., told The Roanoke Times that a corporation, rather than her husband, owns the complex.

Virginia State Corporation Commission records list George Abraham as the only officer of Maple Grove Apartments Inc. Isis Abraham is listed as the sole director of the company. SCC records show that the corporation is located at a Southeast Roanoke home the couple own.

The Abrahams' attorney, Charles Phillips, reached by phone Friday, confirmed that the couple are the principals in the company that owns the apartment complex. He said that rents range from $425 to $525 per month.

Code inspectors plan to resume their inquiry of the property Monday, when they said tenants of the condemned apartments must vacate.