ARVADA, Colo. — An Arvada senior living facility has doubled the rent for some residents, and only provided a 30-day notice of the change.
“Everybody suspected they would raise the rent, but not that much,” said one resident who didn’t want to be identified.
The resident has lived at Arbor View Senior Living for 20 years — he's 84 now.
On Feb. 6, he received a letter in his mailbox stating monthly rent for his apartment will increase from $1,100 a month to $2,200 a month, effective March 1. Arbor View prorated March's rent through March 9 to give residents a 30-day window before the increase.
“I thought it was shocking,” said the resident. “Not everyone went up 100%. Some 50 or 60 percent, up to 100.”
The letter said the reason for the increase is due to a rise in employee labor wages and higher than normal price inflation across their suppliers and vendors throughout 2022.
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While the resident says he can afford the hike, he's concerned about depleting his savings. Others, he says, aren't so lucky.
“A lot of people here don't have that kind of money and they have to move,” he said.
Arbor View offers both independent and assisted living, with a total of 92 apartments. Jay Moskowitz, CEO of WellAge Senior Living, which owns Arbor View and multiple senior facilities across the state, says everyone at Arbor View is seeing a rent hike. He says he hasn't raised rent in three years.
“Labor’s gone up 24% in Colorado, healthcare is up 24%, and food costs, inflation is up 8%,” said Moskowitz.
While he says he's sympathetic to the increase, Moskowitz says he didn't have a choice.
“Were you concerned you were going to have to close your doors if you didn't increase rent for folks?” asked Denver7 reporter Amy Wadas.
“1000%,” Moskowitz replied.
"If I don't get enough money, they're not going to have a home to live in,” said the resident.
Jayla Sanchez-Warren of the Area Agency on Aging says they were contacted by a resident about the price hike. She called the increase very concerning.
“We don't usually see a doubling of rent. We usually see maybe 150, 200, sometimes 400 dollars a month,” said Sanchez-Warren.
Sanchez-Warren says her team is reaching out to various agencies for help.
“You can call your housing authority in your county, you can call legal services,” Sanchez-Warren advised.
Meanwhile, the resident is thinking about shopping around instead of spending the extra money at Arbor View.
“I might stay a couple of months, but then i might think of moving someplace," he said.
