Eviction notice at apartment complex forces families to find new housing

In less than 72 hours, an apartment complex in Aurora, home to dozens of low-income residents, will close.

Those families were given less than a week to figure out where to go next after the City of Aurora served tenants with an eviction notice on Wednesday.

The apartment complex, located at 1568 Nome Street is facing condemnation due to a history of poor conditions and longstanding code violations, according to the city.

Last September, Aurora Police sent a nuisance letter to the property manager and owner of the complex, threatening to close the apartment building for criminal nuisance, which reflects more than 100 calls for service in 12 months from October 2022 to September 2023.

In a press conference on Thursday, families asked City Manager Jason Batchelor to extend the deadline of August 13, saying it is not enough time to get approved at another complex. The City of Aurora says it cannot do that, and it would be irresponsible given the poor conditions of the property.

Under Section 22-606 of the Aurora city code, specific requirements are set for the abatement process. It states that any building or premises designated as unsafe for human habitation by the city manager or their authorized representative shall be placarded as such and vacated by the occupants within the time specified in the placard.

"Such placard shall be deemed an order directing vacation and shall permit not more than 15 days from the date of such placarding for the vacating of such building or premises."

The people seeing the firsthand effects of this decision are the tenants.

Shayra Caez has lived at the complex and says she has worked for the property manager of CBZ Management, Zev Baumgarten, in the past.

Baumgarten is set for jury trials in Aurora Municipal Court beginning August 27, facing charges for building and vehicle code violations.

On Saturday, Caez shared concerns about having to sleep in her car as a last resort with her family, including her mother, Inez, who is disabled.

"We are going to have to be outside; we only have Sunday and Monday," said Caez.

Caez, even as a U.S. citizen, is having a hard time figuring out where she will go next and getting approved for an apartment. She can't imagine how much more difficult this will be for those without basic rights.

Though they have nowhere to go yet, Caez and her family have put most of their belongings in storage.

"Everybody is struggling," said Caez.

On the second floor, Colombian migrant Maria Ortega was seen sweeping the floors of the unit she will have to vacate soon.

Bags were packed on the floor, with still no clue where her family will go.

"It makes me sad because we have nowhere to go," said Ortega in Spanish.

She is one of many tenants who do not have a lease under her name. She claims a man sublet the unit to her family seven months ago, charging them $1,000 for rent and utilities. For Ortega and her family, this was a deal, since they do not have a stable job or income.

As they struggle to make ends meet in the U.S., the family would often pay rent in cash. This man would then pick it up every first of the month. She says it is now difficult to prove she has paid rent since she has no documentation or receipts. Many families express they feel taken advantage of in a country where they thought they would be safe.

This has made it hard for her to get help from the city and deposit assistance.

"We have two little girls, and my daughter is pregnant; it is very difficult," said Ortega.

Even with the ceiling inside her bathroom deteriorating, this was her home. She dealt with the poor conditions and the violence in the neighborhood because it was all she and her family could afford.

However, she's now in survival mode knowing that they will have to leave by Tuesday morning.

"The majority of us are thinking of just setting up tents in the street because we have no choice," said Ortega.

Fortunately, that's not the case for a tenant on the fourth floor with brain cancer who identifies as Nadia.

Nadia moved into the 1568 Nome St. apartment complex in May 2022.

"It was quiet; it was honestly different than what it is now," said Nadia.

She claims things quickly took a turn for the worse in October 2022.

It's now a four-story building where it is loud, dirty, and the elevators do not work. Nadia is forced to take multiple flights of stairs to get to her apartment.

"I do this daily while being sick, trying to get to and from work," said Nadia.

Like many of her neighbors, Nadia is also seeing more and more bugs in her unit.

"There has never been any type of situation with bugs until literally just recently," said Nadia.

What's more constant and disturbing, she says, is the uptick in crime and violence.

"I don't feel safe anymore. Before, when I moved in, I did," said Nadia. "Now I'm terrified leaving, I'm terrified coming home, I'm terrified even being in my apartment because anything can happen."

As people clean up, pack up their belongings, and move out, the silver lining for Nadia is she has somewhere to go.

"I just want peace," said Nadia.

The City of Aurora says it will help with deposit assistance and then seek reimbursement from the property owner.

Nonprofits like the East Colfax Community Collective are helping connect people to the Aurora Flex Fund.

The nonprofit shares the biggest challenge is getting residents to apply, qualify, and get approved for a lease. It is the only way they can then get the assistance because the City of Aurora is sending payments directly to landlords.

But it's nearly impossible to do within a short period of time. As of now, the city does not plan to open up a shelter for these families.