By Catie Cheshire | Westword
Jade Smith’s Housing Choice Voucher covers rent at her Denver apartment and a utility stipend for her Xcel Energy bills, but she still owes her complex over $200. That’s because Smith’s apartment complex, like many others in Denver, charges “junk” fees beyond utilities and rent.
According to Smith, her complex charges her $180 per month for line items such as pest control, real estate tax, common area maintenance and processing fees. Because Smith is still working through the paperwork to establish a disability income due to her spinal fusion and post-traumatic stress, she only makes $224 per month doing odd jobs.
The lease for her southeast Denver apartment only hints at those charges through a clause saying she may be charged for “other” services beyond rent and utilities. Worse, Smith says she isn’t seeing services rendered for fees she’s going into debt to cover. Her apartment’s property managers have failed to address bugs, the community trash overflows regularly and her neighbors with children don’t let their kids play in common areas for fear they will step on glass, according to Smith.