COLORADO SPRINGS — Residents of another apartment complex in Colorado Springs are being forced out of their homes because of what they have been told is asbestos contamination.
On Thursday night, we reported tenants at the Thrive at the Incline Apartments were notified they needed to vacate by December 14th. Just a day later we've found out the same thing is happening to people at the Thrive at Park's Edge Apartments on Chapman Drive. Both complexes are owned and managed by the same companies.
Residents say over the last few days they've either gotten a knock or a notice on their door telling them they need to evacuate immediately. Some are also saying they've been told they have until December 13th to get out.
Paul Joseph Enos said, "Shock, utter dismay really, just kind of going what is going on?"
It was on Wednesday morning when Enos got a notice on his door letting him know he needed to vacate his home right away.
"Frustrating. There's absolutely no reason for it. I get the feeling that they knew this the entire time."
For him and his fellow tenants it's a huge inconvenience - having to take time off work to move and find the money to pay for it.
Enos said, "So much for Christmas because we have to go through the whole coming up with the money all over again."
Andrea Montoya says she and her family got the news on Monday night.
"They knocked on our door and they were like I'm going to need you guys to go to a hotel right now."
Which residents say the complex is paying for, but only for a week.
Montoya said, "It was just, it was crazy."
What makes the situation even tougher for her is that she's 16 and the only one in her family who speaks English.
She said, "I'm not supposed to be worrying about this. I'm supposed to be worrying about what I'm going to get my mom for Christmas."
As far as compensation, she said, "All they said was that we were each going to get $200. That was it."
Which she says they've received, but that it won't nearly be enough to live off of or to replace the belongings they have to leave behind as they await inspection.
Fellow resident Lori Long said, "I moved out in November. They put me in a hotel...because they said there was asbestos here and formaldehyde."
She says at that time the complex moved out several other people as well. She was told she could come back to her apartment in a week, but hasn't been allowed back in since. Instead, she was moved into a different unit only to be kicked out again this week.
She said she's "frustrated, really frustrated...some of us have been lucky and gotten a place. Some of us are living in cars."
Like the Thrive at the Incline Apartments this complex is also managed by Dunmire Property Management. Tenants say they've had a hard time getting answers from them and so have we. We're told some tenants have been able to find a place to live at other properties managed by the same company, but others are still struggling to find a new home.
