Kravitz: Unnecessary litigation
Rick Carroll’s Feb. 24 article, “Centennial condo owners renew suit,” highlights a fundamental issue surrounding APCHA’s housing stock. Who bears responsibility for remedying shoddy construction?
APCHA lottery “winners” are loathe to say no to an opportunity to buy, but shouldn’t the purchase price include a well-constructed unit? When it doesn’t, who is responsible? The deed restrictions make it impossible for owners to shoulder the burden.
The units of Centennial were flawed from the start. The rental units were eventually repaired by the original developer. The condo HOA has done everything possible over the years to remedy some of the flaws and make emergency repairs, but the extent of the repairs needed is insurmountable under the current deed restriction.
Why have our talks failed? In 2014, following a presentation by the HOA board to a joint session of the City Council and Board of County Commissioners, the City Council instructed city staff to come up with a solution that did not place the burden on the current homeowners.
City staff, under the leadership of Assistant City Manager Barry Crook (who later resigned from his position for unrelated reasons), continued to mischaracterize the development and homeowners, and refused to discuss a reasonable solution. More recent proposals have also been rejected by the homeowners because they continue to place the burden on us. We have already spent $1.5 million on repairs.
When I purchased my Centennial condo in 2011, I knew that problems had been discovered with the buildings. I was prepared to invest in my home, but affordable housing homeowners can’t afford to pay the amount of money required for these repairs. If we could, the deed restrictions prevent us from being able to recoup these costs.
This isn’t about maintaining our homes. It’s about paying to repair flaws that existed from the time the buildings were built. The city and APCHA are in control. Why won’t they discuss reasonable and fact-based solutions with the homeowners? Instead, they have forced us into unnecessary litigation.
Patty Kravitz
Aspen
