AURORA, Colo. — Concerns of uninhabitable living conditions are coming to light at an Aurora apartment complex, that is managed by the same company as the building that saw a mass eviction last week.
Denver7 spoke with residents at the Edge at Lowry Apartments, which is overseen by CBZ Management - the same company that currently has pending litigation against it, after a history of code violations forced families out of their apartments last Wednesday.
Tenant, Jeniffer Moreno, said she has lived at the building for about two years and said she has had to deal with several issues.
Moreno shared disturbing photos and videos showing roaches on the cook top, holes in the walls and deteriorating conditions.
“The apartments have holes on the inside," Moreno said, in Spanish, “Many of us are vulnerable, there are lots of kids here."
Trash pile-up could also be seen outside the building, tenants tell Denver7 they haven't had the trash picked up in at least a month.
Moreno said she and others are uncertain about what could happen, after several dozen families were forced out of their apartment building at 1568 Nome Street last week.
“All of us at these apartments are uncertain, not knowing what will happen," Moreno added, in Spanish, “We would like them to give us a solution and help because many of us are migrants, we don’t have stable jobs."
Denver7 reached out to the city of Aurora for a statement. They said these properties in question are two of four that are overseen by CBZ.
A spokesperson sent the following in response.
City contractors are scheduled to do a trash and weed cleanup on the exterior of the properties at 12th and Dallas at 8:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 22. City contractors are also scheduled to do a trash and weed cleanup at 1357 Helena once the work has concluded at the Dallas properties. The work will not impact residents. The city expects to recover the costs of the cleanups from the property owners.
We also caught up with Emily Moron, who was one of the people kicked out of the apartments on Nome Street last week.
She said thanks to all of the nonprofits that have been helping, she's confident she will find housing by the end of the month.
“Truthfully we feel calm," Moron said in Spanish, “We’re all very thankful they didn’t let us sleep on the streets."
The city of Aurora said it is covering the costs of temporary hotel stays to residents of the recently abated apartment building on Nome Street through the end of August to provide them a safe, clean place to stay and give them more time to find new housing.
The city is also covering the costs of new security deposits for affected, eligible residents who seek and secure new housing.
Once new housing has been secured, the city will pay the deposits directly to the new landlords on behalf of the eligible tenants.
The city expects to recover the costs of the abatement, security deposits and hotel rooms from the property owners of 1568 Nome St.
Beyond this, the city said it ensured residents were connected with a multitude of other community service providers to people find save, habitable long-term housing. For example, the State has stepped in to offer deposit assistance as Adams County is providing hotels.
East Colfax Community Collaborative is partnering with other agencies to provide individualized case management to each family/individual.
A spokesperson for the city adds that it's too early to know if any other CBZ properties will be put in a similar situation as the building on Nome Street.
The court cases have been delayed until February 2025. City attorneys will be representing the city in municipal court against CBZ Management.
Denver7 reached out to CBZ for a statement but we have not heard back.
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