WESTMINSTER, Colo. - Real estate giant Greystar owns and operates nine apartment complexes across the city of Westminster.
Over the years, Denver7 has extensively covered the complaints of residents against the company spanning a number of issues.
On Thursday, tenants of Greystar's Westminster properties held a protest against their landlords, citing specifically rising rents, mold-infested units and what they call "junk fees".
"It really feels like they charge us for the air we breathe on property if they could," one protester shared.
Sehra Ramic has been a Greystar tenant for the last 17 months, living in the Copperwood Apartments.
She told Denver7's Tyler Melito that because of her medical history, she went with Greystar because they had a first-floor unit available. Not knowing much about the company, she says she quickly learned about them after moving in.
"I had 26 surgeries, and I first time I had a leak," Ramic shared. "I actually had a foot surgery, and my mother was out here taking care of me, and I was watching my mom with towels on the floor, just picking up water when I was on the phone calling them. They ignored me, and that was the first sign for me that I was like, 'Oh, oh, what did I get myself into?'"
Ramic adding inspections found significant mold in her unit, and she was not alone.
"I knocked on my neighbors' doors and spoke to them myself, and I spoke to 60% of my neighbors," Ramic detailed. "40% of them said they had active mold right now in their place."
Because of the mold in her unit, Greystar moved Ramic to a different apartment, but she says that unit wasn't much better.
"They offered to move me, and they paid the movers and moved me into this place, but just the fate of God that I ran into the previous tenant and she shared her pictures with me and I saw the mold that this place was covered days before they moved me in," Ramic described.
Ramic is adamant the city of Westminster needs to step in and hold Greystar accountable.
"I would like the city to just get involved and make this priority, care about our health," said Ramic.
But Ramic isn't alone; other tenants Thursday evening shared their frustration over how tenants who have lived in their Greystar apartment for some time pay higher rents than newer tenants despite living in similar apartment layouts.
""We have found that existing tenants are paying up to $400 more a month than new tenants," a protester outlined.
Others voiced their frustration over what they call junk fees, fees tenants are charged that in most apartments they wouldn't be responsible for.
"You cannot be charged for things that that are the landlord's responsibility, like pest control. But when we look at our leases and our bills, we are still being charged for these things," said another protester.
Jack Johnson, a city council member in Westminster, told the crowd they hear their concerns and are doing something about it.
"On Monday, we are going to pass stronger rental inspection standards here for the City of Westminster, so that we can hold them accountable," Johnson said.
Denver7 reached out to Greystar for comment and they sent back the following statement:
“Our focus remains on our residents and addressing their needs directly. Over the past year, we have met with representatives of this group multiple times and have addressed the questions and concerns they have raised.
We respond promptly to reported maintenance needs and remain committed to addressing issues brought to our attention. We encourage any resident with a specific concern or maintenance need to contact the community team directly so we can address it appropriately.”
During the protest, a protester shared that tenants were supposed to have a meeting with Greystar Thursday evening, but roughly 24 hours before, Greystar cancelled.
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