AURORA | Immigrants from Venezuela remain at the center of persistent controversy in Aurora, with four city lawmakers on Thursday offering commentary and narratives about gang members, flash-mobs and national immigration policy.
City officials notified residents that they must vacate their condemned apartments in the north-Aurora complex by next Tuesday, a moved that some city lawmakers, without evidence or details, say is the result of Venezuelan gang activity.
Lawmakers commented on other recent Venezuelan immigrant controversies as well.
Members of the Aurora City Council public safety committee and Mayor Mike Coffman broke into an impromptu discussion about recent issues connected to immigrants and refugees from Venezuela living in Aurora and Denver.
On July 28, as many as 4,000 cars descended on the parking lots at the Gardens on Havana shopping center in west-central Aurora, apparently to celebrate what at the time looked like the political demise of Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro.
Maduro has since held on to power, despite international demands he step down after an apparent electoral loss and election fraud perpetrated by his administration.
Some city council members and witnesses painted the July 28 Aurora event as violent, criminal and destructive.
A storm of social media posts about the flash-mob event prompted police the next day to “fact check” what they said was misinformation.
A few days later, the owner of a northwest Aurora apartment complex and his public-relations agent told the media that Venezuelan gangs had effectively taken over his 99-unit complex.
City officials countered the claim, saying that the complex is slated for closure next week after more than two years of neglect and mismanagement, creating a bevy of public safety and health violations that has left the complex uninhabitable.
“None of us buy that story, that this is based on a code enforcement violation,” Councilmember Danielle Jurinsky said at the end of the committee meeting, referring to herself and fellow committee members council members Stepahnie Hancock and Steve Sundberg. “The three of us believe there is a huge gang problem.”
She said that despite being asked for proof of their claims and overwhelming city evidence disputing the gang allegations, “our opinions are not up for debate.”
While city officials have provided extensive city and court records documenting hundreds of unsafe living conditions and police calls to the building, police have not publicly said whether Tren de Aragua gang members are active at the complex and responsible for crimes.
Sundberg said he’s convinced that the TDA gang is extensive, and that they have “taken over” multiple apartment complexes in the city.
Coffman distanced himself from the assertions, saying that he was confident TDA gangs were present in the metro area, but that the history of safety violations at the embattled complex was well-established, and that police have not made clear what crimes at the complex were gang-related.
“The problems there go way back,” Coffman said.
In an interview Thursday with Next on 9News host Kyle Clark, Coffman referred to the building owners as “out-of-state slumlords.”
At the council committee meeting Thursday, Coffman also pushed back against claims by Jurinsky and Hancock that the flash-mob event at the Gardens on Havana was a “test” by Venezuelan immigrants in schemes to repeat similar episodes in Aurora.
“It’s a one-off,” Coffman said. He said the mob appeared to be caused by early news about the Maduro election by unruly and unrelated people, not an event planned by any organization or gangs.
“I don’t want to conflate the gang issue with what happened on Havana,” he said.
All city lawmakers, however, said Thursday that U.S. border policies and management are to blame for a flood of undocumented immigrants that have overwhelmed local resources.
Aurora police Deputy Chief Chris Juul said police are certain that immigrants associated with the TDA gang are present in the metro area, but the extent of involvement in local crime is under investigation.
“We’re working diligently on that,” Juul said. An internal police task force has been created to focus on the issue. “We are learning a lot about this community.”
All three city council representatives said they want better communication from police and city administrators with themselves and the public if future incidents arise and on current controversies.
Aspen Grove controversy
The owner of the 99-unit apartment complex at Aspen Grove Apartments at 1568 Nome St. told Sentinel Colorado earlier this week the Aurora Police Department has failed to control what he says is unchecked Venezuelan gang activity at his apartment buildings. The city denies that and points to a property manager facing court action for numerous health and safety code violations at the building dating back to 2019 — before Venezuelan immigrants arrived in Colorado — as the real problem.
All of the residents at Aspen Grove, listed in city records as “1568 Nome” face eviction next week as the city is moving to close down the complex, stating that the complex is uninhabitable. The owner of the complex refers to it as “Aspen Grove,” some city records and online rental sites refer to it as “Fitzsimons Place.”
Aurora provided photos and records to the media yesterday documenting consistent and widespread rat, mice and cockroach infections, piles of garbage, dangerous electrical and plumbing issues among other health and safety problems.
The city has moved to shut down the complex through municipal “nuisance” laws, citing the catalog of documented crimes and upkeep.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE “NUISANCE” ORDER
Underlying the growing dispute is how Denver and Aurora are handling the challenges of a wave of up to 40,000 Venezuelan migrants coming to the region over the past two years. The surge of migrants has overloaded local immigrant resources.
The crisis has become regular fodder in the 2024 General Election, pitting local and national political factions against each other.
On July 28,an Aurora shopping center was overrun with an estimated 4,000 cars as a disorderly flash-mob, lured by social media posts, attracted people focused on the results of the July 28 Venezuelan presidential election.
City officials said Monday, the legal action to shut down Aspen Grove is unrelated to all of that.
The owner spoke to the Sentinel, via telephone, joined by his public relations representative, asking not to be named, citing a fear of violence and threats against him and his family.
The city has identified the property owner in numerous court documents as Nome Partners LLC. Court filings against the property name Zev Baumgarten and Nome Partners LLC, a Denver company.
The owner told the Sentinel that he’s pushed Aurora Police since last September to help remove what he claims are members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua squatting in his buildings and threatening his tenants and employees.
He said tenants described to him gang members breaking into vacant apartments, patrolling with assault rifles, and threatening them to pay rent to the gang members, not the owner.
City officials deny that this is part of the cease issue, but police officials would not say if there is TDA gang activity or members at this complex or others nearby.
A document obtained by the Sentinel from Albuquerque Police warned police in the Denver area that the TDA gang is active and was given a “green light” by gang leaders in Venezuela to shoot local law enforcement officers.
In a statement to the Sentinel on Wednesday, Denver Police said the “Department takes the presence of Tren de Aragua seriously, and protecting the safety of our residents and our officers is always our top priority.
“There are reasons to believe that members of this gang are tied to crimes in the area,” police said. “Confirming gang affiliation is challenging because suspected members of this gang often give false identities during law enforcement contacts and typically do not admit membership to the gang.”
Denver police said, ”In coordination with law enforcement partners, continues actively investigating to learn more about the gang, its members, and any associated criminal activity so we can respond accordingly – just as we do for any gang or criminal organization.”
Aurora police have not responded to the Sentinel regarding the warning.
City officials, however, repeatedly said the issue at Aspen Grove is unrelated to that.
CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL PHOTOS, REPORTS AND RECORDS PROVIDED BY THE CITY OF AURORA
Aurora spokesperson Ryan Luby points to a September 2023 order against property managers at the complex to cease overlooking years of documented crime activity or face consequences of a city “nuisance” abatement law.
It’s that measure being imposed next Tuesday. Eviction notices were posted across the complex on Wednesday, and each tenant was notified.
The complex owner, however, says not only has APD failed to respond to the majority of his calls but, due in part to their lack of action, the gang members have fully taken over his properties and that he hasn’t had a presence there for almost six weeks.
“I told them time and time again, if you guys only took this seriously eight months ago, nine months ago, you probably could have stomped it out with relative ease,” he told the Sentinel.
Aurora said the allegations are “diversionary tactics” and fabricated narratives. The years-long history of “substantial, longstanding, unresolved code violations,” and uncontrolled crimes committed among and to residents, began in 2020 according to city records — the year after the owner bought the property.
The issues have included rodent infestations, a lack of heat and electricity, sewage backups, trash pile-ups, water leaks and shattered or missing windows,” city officials said.
Online apartment finding sites list average rent at Aspen Grove for a 2-bedroom, 750-square-foot apartment at about $1,600 a month.
Aurora officials said the owner also has also stopped paying the property’s water bill. The amount of that past due was not immediately available.
The “nuisance” letter sent last September to the complex owner and property manager threatened to close down the apartment building specifically for criminal nuisance, pointing to over 100 calls for service to only one building from October 2022 to September of 2023. These included calls for shots fired, stolen cars, trespassing, disturbing the peace, assault, arson, drugs and loitering.
The owner told the Sentinel that those are problems for the police to address.
“They can’t expect these issues to be resolved by landowners,” he said.
It was unclear Monday night whether there can be a resolution by next week other than closing down the building. Residents will have until the morning of Aug. 13 to vacate their apartments, officials said.
The city acknowledged they do not have shelter for the tenants of the building, and instead say they are working with the state for available resources and the metro area’s nonprofit community.
— Reporter Andrew Fraieli contributed to this report.
It’s interesting the city channel usally post these meetings to YouTube however the public safety meeting is not there today, are lawmakers afraid that the immigrants from Venezuela will show up next Monday with the Lewis protesters, we need our council members to stop fear mongering if Jurinsky is so unhappy with APD why doesn’t she apply to be Cheif ? Common sense people don’t let typical bigoted tropes define our city.
right on CHILDLESS CAT DAD LOL
again we see no solutions from these incompetent conservatives
I agree with Childless Cat Dad. If no evidence is offered, no comments should be made. I’m not interested in what Jurinski believes. I’m interested in what she can prove. This country is bloated with innuendo!
these three councilmembers have been auditioning for the “new” Fox show how low can you go!!
these three councilmembers leave a lot to be desired’
I’ve got an idea. If council believes this gang is in charge, why not talk with the governor and have the DEI and ICE and the national guard and local police do a task force. Surround that complex. Vet every single person in there. If there are gang members just takem out and deport them. Now that’s a solution. Go for it council!!!
Any concerns at all about the constitutionality of detaining persons absent probable cause and demanding their papers? Sure there may be (or may not be) generalized suspicion as to the group, but what would be the particularized reasonable articulable suspicion as to each individual?
Jurinsky, Hancock and Sunberg are off their rockers!! Show us the evidence or shut your trap! These violations have gone back for years long before one Venezuela migrant ever landed in Colorado. The owner (whomever he is) is nothing more than a “Slum Lord” like Trump was when he owned low income properties in NYC in the 80’s and 90’s
I didn’t even have to read this story to guess who these “three Aurora lawmakers” were. Jurinsky and Sundberg are so scared of anyone that isn’t white and MAGA it’s pathetic. And Hancock has now jumped on the bandwagon. The majority of the Aurora City Council is a disgrace. Take a look at Jurinsky’s Twitter page profile and you’ll find that she idolizes Marjorie Taylor Greene. What a loser. Maybe it’s because those two have so much in common. They spread falsehoods and lies just like Mayor Coffman and all of his other conspiracy theorist buddies. They don’t even realize just how crazy they are. How did Aurora go this low? It won’t happen again because there are thousands of us who are making it our mission to get these people off the city council and out of Aurora. Take back Aurora, people! We have a choice. Get rid of these hateful council members and bring back the wonderful and accepting place that Aurora used to be. Xenophobia and homophobia are not representative of this city.
I find it not surprising that the three most conservative, GOP, Council members make assertions without evidence. Seem to be a common trait within their party and mindset. If they are such a powerful “Back the Blue” consortium, despite the ugly sacking of Chief Wilson, why do they not believe their own Police Department. Instead, it sounds like the trio are covering for the property owner and ignoring the code violations and deplorable conditions of the property as described (with evidence).
For some reason voters, especially Democrats, refuse to vote in city council elections and keep giving this kinda behavior a green light.
It is to the advantage of the owners of the Nome property to continue to fan the flames of blaming an immigrant group for their neglect when court records show their irresponsible and greedy care of that complex.
The three conservative members of the Aurora Council have persistently supported views that divide our Aurora community by perpetrating hatred, suspicion, and hardship for people simply trying to make new lives. The reputation of Aurora as a welcoming community to those who have faced violence and lack of opportunity in their own countries is blemished when elected leaders treat others as differently from themselves in the need to have adequate housing, work opportunities, and a safe place to raise their children.
Aurora voters will do better in the next election to vote for those candidates who actually care for and represent ALL our Citizens!
As long as Aurora Democrats, and Democrats nation wide, keep ignoring local elections this is what we will get. They complain but then refuse to vote for city council. They line up in droves to vote for Dems in the statehouse, governor, Congress, and POTUS, but stay home and concede city council to these kind of lunatics every single local election. No one to blame but themselves for the embarrassing behavior of our council.
A multifaceted question. First, I know that there has always been political pressure from the City Manager’s office to not admit gang activity. Second, I know that Deputy Chief Juul is a political animal who was involved in a completely distorted and incompetent investigation full of untruths in the “pistol whipping” case. I filed a very detailed Internal Affairs complaint against him to include copies of videos that the Department never showed anyone. I, of course, have heard nothing as a result of that. I expect that they will simply bury that. It is good to be king.
The need to create a special task force to investigate is an indication of how well the Department knows and patrols your city. When a police department must create special teams whenever a problem arises demonstrates that the police department is not organized to handle crime as a normal process. Of course, in today’s environment, the shortages of officers makes it a necessity. Under the present legislature and the upside down view on crime and punishment, proactive and community policing are dead. Any attempt to actually drop into areas and confront suspicious people are looked at as aggression. That will bring media scorn and condemnation for being prejudiced. So, picture that any officers who went into the apartment complex to patrol would be viewed as racists against Venezuelans. If they confronted someone with a rifle and a shooting occurred, they would be viewed as aggressors. These things happen very quickly, often with no time to talk. There would be calls for prosecuting the officers. The safest thing to do is to not do what used to be normal police work. That work prevented bigger problems. The safest thing to do now is to simply ride around waiting to respond after the next shooting. No stopping suspicious vehicles or persons. Wait until they do something that can’t be debated. That is usually murder, robbery, rape, etc.
To believe that the Venezuelan gangs have not taken advantage of any place where their people gather is to ignore human nature. All of the Venezuelans are trying to make a way forward here. Often, they must get with others from their own country to find ways to do that. The gangs understand their fellow Venezuelans’ position and will capitalize on it any way they can. It does not behoove the average Venezuelan to report activity by the gang. It is dangerous and sometimes the gang offers advantages. The gangs also understand that the police are fettered here and that the police don’t known who they are since huge numbers came into the country without being contacted at all.
I certainly understand the position of the three council members. The City has had many problems with honesty in the past. I was on a drug sting on Colfax many tears ago when a City Council person became upset because a Vice and Narcotics officer had told her that we knew of over two hundred crack houses in the City. The Council Person said that the City Manager had told her that there were two and that we were watching them. We, of course, found it humorous and we, of course, knew that we could say nothing. So goes government.
Jurinsky is a racist agitator. She needs to be fired and locked up for attempting to incite mass violence against Venezuelan Migrants. These people are also her constituents.
The situation requires old school Denver action – shoot the TDA Venezulians, remove the migrants to the border, then ask questions later. Same required for cleaning up Denver of the druggies and queers/ trans-whatevers. Clean up our schools, our neighborhoods, our communities. Repeal the recreational drug laws. The silent majority’s deep well of tolerance and patience has run dry.
Why has nobody raised the question that the same three inspectors keep inspecting the property in question? This is always noted in the photos they take. I lived in the apartment complex next door at 1528 Nome St for numerous years and had friends that lived next door ( and still visit on occasion) so I Know firsthand that the allegations regarding infestations and shoddy maintenance are very TRUE!!! In fact the blatant degradation of the building and “band-aid” repairs look identical to both buildings next door. How come nobody inspects that property?? Does there need to be shootings for these “inspectors” to actually do their jobs? Even when they are on a site for an “inspection” I’ve seen most of them just sit in their trucks (with them running) .
Now that you have seen the videos and heard the stories do you believe?
Believe this please, next this activity will be coming to your corner.