Caretaker for Aurora apartments finds more code violations than crime

The court-appointed caretaker for an Aurora apartment complex that was made infamous by allegations of a Venezuelan gang takeover said “the property was in better condition than anticipated” when he was handed the keys this fall, and it has improved significantly since.

“The property’s tenants were generally cooperative,” Kevin Singer wrote of Whispering Pines Apartments, at 1357 Helena St. “Although there was some evidence of criminal activity, it appeared that the more serious issues which attracted media coverage prior to my appointment had largely been resolved due to the efforts of the Aurora Police Department.”

Singer’s findings — his first public comments since taking on the high-profile task of turning around Whispering Pines — are tucked away in a nine-page report he filed Nov. 21 with Arapahoe County District Court, which appointed him receiver in late September at the request of the building’s lender. The report covers what he did in October.

Whispering Pines is one of several Aurora apartment complexes owned by CBZ Management, a New York company that set off impassioned public debates when it claimed in August that its buildings had been taken over by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. The City of Aurora and tenants have pushed back on that allegation and accused CBZ of being a slumlord.

Singer, who is also the court-appointed caretaker for CBZ’s 200 Columbia complex in Aurora, takes no position on the heated debate over Tren de Aragua’s presence at Whispering Pines. He references crime only twice in the report, to note his staff met with Aurora Police Chief Todd Chamberlain on Oct. 2 and found the worst of the crime had been solved by Oct. 8.

Singer’s report spends far more time on the condition of Whispering Pines’ three buildings, which “suffered from numerous code violations, including but not limited to, leaks and electrical issues. One of the property’s buildings did not have hot water” when he took over.

That building’s boiler was repaired by Oct. 21, according to Singer. The receiver and his crew also installed eight security camera towers and some self-locking doors, resolved dozens of maintenance requests, installed a new stove for one tenant, boarded up broken windows, reestablished trash and pest control services, and repaired fencing, Singer said.

At times, hiring contractors to make repairs “proved challenging,” Singer wrote, “as multiple prospective vendors presented proposals but later backed out.” Last week’s report does not say whether Whispering Pines’ high profile contributed to those reneging or not.

Whispering Pines made headlines throughout September, first because of CBZ’s claims of gang takeovers, and then tenants’ organized responses to those claims. During a late September rally, residents called for repairs to be made and said that they always pay rent.

Singer, whose company Receiver Specialists is based in California but has a Denver office, claims that residents at Whispering Pines have not been paying rent recently.