ARVADA, Colo. - A homeowner forced out of his condo for the last 18 months was finally able to move back in after a fire at the condo next door spread to his own in April of 2022.
Ted Bauer reached out to Denver7 after getting fed up with the lack of progress his HOA was making on repairs.
He paid $300,000 for the home and was able to live in it for just 10 days before the fire damaged it. More than a year later, the HOA had not begun significant repairs. Bauer's insurance company had been putting him up in hotels and apartments.
"Not a darn thing is being done, as you can see. I've got exactly seven months left on my contract with State Farm, and then I'm living in my car," he told Denver7 during an interview in late August. That's when he reached out and Denver7 starting asking questions, eventually confirming a specific timeline for the repairs.
Now, he's ready to move into his newly renovated condo.
"I'm real happy. I'm really happy the way it turned out," Bauer said of the condo.
After Denver7 reached out to the HOA for answers about the delayed repairs, Bauer said he saw a big change of pace.
"In my opinion, [the HOA] did not care if it got fixed now or maybe sometime in 2024," Bauer said. "Honest to God, since you guys showed up the first time, things happened. Just like that. They were here, they were working."
He said he's simply happy to know the whole situation is resolved and he can go back to his normal life.
"I'm 71 years old. I mean, God's sake, that tore me down. I mean, it was really difficult on my health having to deal with that," he said, "I can now kind of finally relax and say, "God, y'know, it's finally over."
