Homeless seek shelter in Denver apartment complex
Residents at a Denver apartment complex say their home is overrun with people experiencing homelessness. People living at the Renaissance Uptown Apartments describe their hallways as a shelter.
The Colorado Coalition for the Homeless opened Renaissance Uptown Apartments at Pearl and Colfax in 2010.
According to their website, the "five-story, Capitol Hill property integrates Permanent Supportive Housing for homeless individuals with other affordable rental apartments targeted to a variety of incomes."
The Renaissance Uptown Apartments has helped many formerly homeless people get back on their feet. But lately, residents have had a lot of unwanted visitors, and they say management isn't doing anything to help.
Mark Dalpes has lived there for years.
"When I moved in, everything was secure. It was great," said Dalpes. "I don't know if it's the cold weather or what, but lately it has been terrible."
Dalpes is employed nearby as a security guard, but this month he says it feels as though he's working security at home. He sees homeless people sleeping in the hallways and common areas, drug use, urination on the property and more.
"It's frustrating because I've worked my butt off to get an apartment here. And these people are basically stealing our comfort zone," said Dalpes. "We've called police. They tell us to talk to management. We've been talking to management and nothing's getting better."
Neighbors like Robin, who also pulled himself out of homelessness and went through the right channels, feel defeated.
He says he's asked management several times for more security, or just locks on exterior doors.
"We're not a flophouse," said Robin. "I'm done with telling them to leave because they don't listen to us."
Robin says residents need a key fob to enter the property, but that hasn't stopped anyone.
CBS News Colorado watched as non-residents held the door open for others to get in and set up sleeping bags in the hallway.
Dalpes is grateful for the home the complex has provided him, and now he's thinking about moving, but he can't afford it.
"I'm concerned. I'm afraid something violent is going to happen soon," said Dalpes.
CBS News Colorado reached out to the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, which sent a statement saying unauthorized people have been removed.
"Our access control system did not function properly over the weekend at our Uptown Lofts property," the organization said. "The system has been restored and residents have been notified that unauthorized individuals have been exited from the building. We apologize to residents for any disruption or inconvenience this has caused. Management is meeting with the resident council to go over the short-term and long-term plans for access control procedures and infrastructure to aid the safety of this property."