DENVER — Two years after Denver7 Investigates first exposed dangerous living conditions at The Felix Apartments, now called The Raven, tenants say little has changed.
Residents of The Raven Apartments in Denver have now filed a class action lawsuit against their landlords, alleging years of neglect and violations of Colorado's warranty of habitability.
The lawsuit names Loft 9 Apartments LLC, Apartment Management Consultants, and Trion Properties, accusing them of breaching leases, operating without required licenses, and subjecting tenants to deplorable living conditions.
► Read a copy of the complaint
Giovanni Sargis, who has lived at the complex for just a few months, described the ongoing problems he’s faced since moving in, including constant flooding in the kitchen.
"I'm concerned about black mold. That's dangerous," Sargis said. "There's been no hot water. I freeze here at nighttime. I wrap up in a blanky and put on my heaters, and I try to make it work."
Ashley Arias, a resident and plaintiff in the case, said she’s been showering at a nearby rec center for the past month because of the lack of hot water at the complex.
"We pay our rent on time, in full every month - then where is our rent money going?" Arias asked.
Other residents spoke of ongoing battles with pests like bed bugs and mice.
Kelly Reeves, managing attorney at Sue My Landlord, explained the scope of the lawsuit on Sunday.
“It should never get to this point where we're here years later, looking at thousands of pages of documentation to bring a class action case that's going to take years, very likely to get some semblance of justice here,” said Reeves.
Plaintiffs seek damages on behalf of all affected tenants.
The lawsuit details shocking conditions at the property, including allegations that the corpse of a dog was left to rot in a vacant swimming pool.
Despite the city issuing over $50,000 in fines and even a criminal citation, tenants say nothing has improved.
“The city is using every tool at our disposal, and that includes fines that have surpassed $50,000, that also includes a criminal citation, where there could be criminal elements, where someone goes to jail, and now you have a tenants’ union [with a] class action lawsuit,” Eric Escudero, Denver Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection spokesperson told Denver7.
Benjamin Stark is a resident and co-founder of the Denver Metro Tenants Union (DMTU) — he believes the management companies are simply profiting while ignoring his neighbors’ safety and well-being.
"Like this company is just pocketing the money. Just pocketing the money and letting those people be treated terribly," Stark said.
Last fall, Denver city officials approved a steep increase in fines for landlords operating without a residential rental license, raising the maximum penalty from $999 to $5,000 per violation.
Supporters believed the change could give the city a stronger tool to address noncompliance.
On Sunday, Eida Altman, co-founder of the DMTU, expressed her frustration that it has yet to make a difference for residents at The Raven.
"Even as we introduce a class action lawsuit, we're still not celebrating because it's still not a system that works," Altman said.
Residents expressed fears that their property could face the same fate as the William Penn Apartments in uptown Denver, which a judge ordered to close in early 2025 due to neglect and safety violations.
Only a handful of tenants remained when that order was made. The city of Denver moved them into hotels for free while they helped them find new housing.
However, many tenants worry they would have nowhere to go if the Raven met the same fate, given that there are over 400 units in the complex.
Stark told Denver7 that more policy changes are needed to help crack down on unresponsive property managers.
“If the shoe were on the other foot and I wanted to move in on the sixth, they would charge me those six days of prorated rent. But for some reason, when I spend six days without the things that the lease provides me, they still get all of the money that they think they're owed,” said Stark, “so I personally, I'd like to see some money back in a lot of these people's pockets. I'd like to see some laws change that.”
In the meantime, tenants are calling for immediate solutions as the lawsuit moves forward.
"We just need help from the city and the county and the state, or whatever there is," Sargis said.
City representatives were on site on Sunday, answering residents' questions and promising accountability.
"We're going to keep pushing forward as a city and do everything we can to help the residents who live here at this apartment complex," Escudero said.
Denver7 reached out to Loft 9 Apartments LLC, Apartment Management Consultants, and Trion Properties for comment.
