AURORA | Residents at a dilapidated apartment complex in northwest Aurora fear being kicked out of their apartments just as the fall weather will likely turn cold.
“We’re going to start having snow, and it’s going to be snowing and cold here,” said V Reeves, spokesperson for Housekeys Action Network Denver, translating for resident Moises Dinote. “You’re going to kick out all of these families with children onto the street?”
The Whispering Pines Apartments, 1357 Helena St., have been the center of controversy for the last couple of months due to disputed allegations that the building was overrun by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. Many of the residents are Venezuelan immigrants.
Police have repeatedly denied that but said that a presence by gang members and other criminal forces have had a substantial impact on the complexes.
CBZ Management, the property management company that runs the Whispering Pines location, along with the Edge at Lowry, 1218 Dallas St. claims it’s been neglecting both properties because it was run off of their properties by the TdA.
Controversies in the area have created a firestorm across the national, culminating with presidential candidate Donald Trump persisting in false claims that all of Aurora has been taken over by TdA gangs.
Although the residents at the Whispering Pines have not received any formal notice from the City of Aurora or the property management company that they will be evicted or that the property will be condemned, they fear that news will soon come.
The Denver Post reported Thursday that a letter they obtained — written by Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain to property owners — states that eviction is imminent at the Edge at Lowry and the nearby 200 Columbia apartments, unless owners take immediate action. The eviction is threatened because of unlivable conditions and crime making the complexes threats to public health and safety.
The letter does not address Whispering Pines, but residents fear their complex, too, may be targeted for closure.
“What we know at this point is that the city did an inspection last week and issued a summons, and there is a possibility of condemnation that is imminent,” Reeves said.
City officials said repeated attempts to work with the complex owners have been ignored.
“We wholeheartedly understand and share in the frustrations expressed by Whispering Pines tenants,” city officials said in a statement. “We are still attempting to get the property owners and managers to address the multitude of issues at their apartment complexes, including Whispering Pines. We are leveraging every tool available under state and municipal law to hold the property owners and managers accountable, which include actions that are not yet public. The property owners continue to rebuff the city’s efforts or outright ignore the city’s offers to assist.”
Many residents said they are willing to work on repairing and cleaning up the building to help assist the city and the property management company. Dinote said that many residents have skills and worker’s permits to help.
The city can only interfere so much. Residents said this week that the city started sending trash collectors every ten days since no trash service picked up garbage.
Residents said they are being charged for services like water and trash, but they are not receiving them consistently. Two weeks ago, water was turned off in one of the buildings, and they had to make a report to a city-run department to get it turned back on.
Brendan Greene, the co-founder and CEO of East Colfax Community Collected, relayed that not only was water turned off in one building, but sewage flooding or black water was also present in some of the residences and the basement of one of the buildings.
Residents say they fear racist and anti-immigrant reprisals because of the controversy. They feel safe inside their apartments but fear the community’s reaction when they’re in public and possibly searching for new housing. Resident Jeraldyne Maza said she’s encountered discrimination and fears for her safety in public.
Although the residents worry the building will be condemned and closed, like the 1568 Nome St. apartment complex, which the same property management company owned, the city can only move as fast as it is legally allowed to.
The residents at the Whispering Pine Apartment complex say they want to be involved and allowed to stay in their homes.
“What they have been asking for is collaboration with the city,” Reeves said. “They’re asking for time. They’re asking for support. They will not be able to move out in time and safely relocate with their families, and they’re saying that they are very willing, and they have been willing to take care of their homes and to maintain conditions and do what they need to do in the absence of the landlord, and the city, dropping their responsibilities.”
Tell me you didn’t use Google maps without telling me you didn’t use Google maps (or any maps, apparently).
Today’s Denver Post writes that “Aurora officials have threatened to immediately close two long troubled apartment complexes” “unless the owner takes quick and immediate action to address crime and deterioration”
So now the city says the crime is otherwise n the hands of CBZ scope of responsibility to figure out. This crime issue, with its who, what, and how all the importation of organized criminals is the point of this whole episode. It’s not the flea-bitten, rat-infested, squalor, living conditions affecting several neighborhoods of Aurora, that’s rightfully secondary. These Federal political figures, ours specifically Crow, Hickenlooper, and Bennet continue to place blame everywhere except where it belongs, back on their own look away, don’t enforce border law policies. Not much different than what the city of Aurora is shifting blame all back to CBZ.
Police said there are no gangs, then said there is a presence of gangs? CBZ owner, said the decline in maintenance is because of gangs??? I’m confused??
Don’t get all sympathetic, Aurora. For the long-term good of the city, it is best if all building codes, safety regulations, health codes, and laws are strictly enforced.
Colorado is a mess. Gone to the dogs.
If u were able n play illegal youll find homes!
So in other words this isn’t even the apt complex that was involved in the controversy. Just another lie to boost the elites story line that all is well.
Trump didn’t say ALL of Aurora. Stop lying. He said some of the towns -meaning apartments & neighborhoods. Check out independent journalists who actually spoke to the people living there. The leaders don’t know jack. As always, twisting Trump’s words to fit your BS.
Typical Poloticians way to cover their ass, lie, blame someone else and NEVER TAKE THE BLAME ON THEM for incompetence!! Disgusting. Grow up Governor and Mayor!!!
It’s written by some liberal, what do you expect. The fake news spins and edits Trump’s words. The mayor and governor here are terrible, and the counties surrounding Denver are just as bad.
Deportation needs to be imminent.
Agreed. DEPORT Republicans! Keep the Immigrants!
Glad you agree this political polarization needs to continue escalating to Israel/Hamas levels.
Gangs come in my home I’ll shoot them dead that’s my god given right to protect my home and family
If ur taking our tax dollars, and sucking our resources on our dime, u need to go. All the while we’re starving and have no assistance
Fake news, another rotten reporter who only promotes his truth. What happened to the days when these writers made sure no matter what was written was complete truth. Now, they just write to promote their wokeness…. Trump didn’t tell any lies but this guy or gal will dance like it was all lies… how about we have. These reporters deserved to be flushed like Kamala and and lawyers in general.
It probably came to this bc they did absolutely nothing to start with. Solve the real problem, and clean it up. I wouldn’t want to stay in a place that didn’t handle it correctly in the first place. They had frightened families moving out and moving new ones into their home a day later !!!!
Deportation,agreed
After further review, this still has nothing to do with Trump, regardless of what he says. This is Commrade Kamala’s gang. Period.
Trumps right, again. Fake media propagating a false narrative. You need to learn how to listen to what’s being said, not what you think someone said. Mass deportation has to happen or you won’t recognize the USA in another 5 years. This process us unsustainable.
Welcome to American dream
This just proves you’re well protected in the City of Aurora. The city sends a strong message barring crime. The owner of these toxic environments and all these rat-infested buildings talked as a municipal criminal and utmost annoying business that operated in the city. We can reach anywhere, so we shut you down. Rat problem resolved.
Kick them out of apartement please.