'Seems Unfair': Residents Of Denver Apartment Complex Without Heat

DENVER, (CBS4)- Residents of The Lincoln at Speer apartment complex on 1170 Galapago Street in Denver say they've been without heat, some without months. They say for some of them it's been since last spring and it's making this cold snap unbearable to deal with.

A resident who spoke with CBS4's Michael Abeyta, on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, says ever since the first day they moved into the complex they have had issues.

They say they have pest issues, interruptions to water service and now they don't have heat. They say it wasn't such a big deal over the summer when it was warmer but it still isn't fixed and that's a problem.

"Eight to 10 months later, here we are again... it's 0 or negative degrees this morning and we also have no heat," said the resident.

They shared an email from the management group that says they are replacing old heating hard-to-maintain units and they waited until just now to start that project because of pandemic supply chain issues.

The resident says in the meantime management has given their residents space heaters to keep warm but it isn't working.

"The space heaters do not really provide warmth unless you are standing directly in it," they said.

Also, the resident says they are worried about how much the space heaters will drive up their power bill and they think management should give them a break on rent to make up for it.

"That seems unfair that we are holding the brunt of the pain," they said.

Michael Abeyta reached out to the apartment complex and received a statement from spokesperson Jeremy Soffin: "We have experienced some isolated issues with HVAC units in some apartments over the past week and have been working aggressively to make repairs. We have immediately provided radiators to anyone raising concerns to ensure that every home is adequately heated, and later this month we are beginning our planned project to install new HVAC systems in apartments throughout the complex. We regret any inconvenience to residents and remain available 24/7 to address any issues as they arise."

The resident doesn't want to move they just want the heat back, and they say with the amount of money they pay to live there, they should have basic necessities.

"If I'm paying like $2,000 to live here, like, I kind of expect certain livable conditions," the resident said.

If you are a Denver renter and don't have heat, you can file a complaint with The City of Denver by calling 311.