Anna Slavens
Audio By Carbonatix
Our tipline fills up with horror stories from renters with big maintenance issues, big rent increases…and sometimes both. Things got so bad at The Grand that residents of the luxury apartment complex were recently notified that they would have to vacate in thirty days – without any help, financial or otherwise, in finding a new place.
Residents of a Broomfield complex had a different problem: No sooner had the wife signed a lease renewal at a 10 percent hike than she was told it would be going up to 20 percent…because her husband hadn’t signed, too.
On the Westword Facebook post of that story, readers had plenty to say about the Deer Crest situation, as well as their own concerns. Says Therese:
The owners of this complex need to get it together! How can they justify raising rents on such a poorly managed complex? Disgraceful.
Cody has a personal concern:
I got my lease renewal offer yesterday and my rent is being increased 28 percent next month, after the gates to my garage were not working for almost four months. Insanity.
So does Chelsea:
My 400 square-foot studio in Park Hill went from $1,300 (October 2020) to $1,600 (July 2022)
And Rhahlene:
I’m moving because my landlord decided to go with 31 percent.
But Larry can beat all of those:
In December of 2020, I received a nearly 50 percent rent increase, as did my neighbors. It chased me out of town to find affordable. I spoke with an old neighbor, one of those who paid the 50 percent increase he was given. HIs one-year lease is up, and they are ready to raise his rent again. And building maintenance has gone to hell. He had been without hot water for two days and had been told it would be a couple more before he could expect hot water to return. Not only ridiculously expensive, but not even habitable.
Offers Jeannie:
I remember in 1985, I could pay my rent with one week’s pay and have some to spare on minimum wage. That’s how it should be. By that standard, minimum wage should be at about $30/hr now.
Wonders Jenny:
With rent still going up so much, who can afford to live in Denver?
But then there’s this from Cooper:
This is happening to everyone right now. It isn’t really newsworthy. If you don’t like it, you can always move…
What do you think about the rent increases in Denver? Newsworthy or not? And how much has your rent increased in recent years? Post a comment or share your thoughts at editorial@westword.com.