Complex Cited on Safety Issues

The city fire marshal cited a Montrose apartment complex for a number of safety violations following complaints from residents to the Glendale City Council about the way they were being treated by the building's new owner.

The apartment, on Valderas Drive, is undergoing $2 million plus in renovations by StarPoint Properties.

Several of the 104 tenants complained to the council last week that the new owners were not keeping the property up and were conducting work in the units at unreasonable hours and without notice.

StarPoint issued eviction notices to 20 tenants, but was forced to rescind them because Glendale requires stated causes for evictions.

The fire department inspection found non-compliant smoke detectors, exposed wiring outside of one unit, and a fire extinguisher that needed to be recharged. StarPoint blamed the previous owner for the violations. The property will be inspected again on May 31.

Luis Madrigal, one of the tenants, said the situation has improved slightly since the protests were made to the city council.

Madrigal told the council this week that the owners are given 24 hour notice before entering units and have furnished a dumpster for construction debris. "The pool is still pretty dirty," he said.

StarPoint has raised rents on the units by as much as $500 a month with the increases taking effect July 1. The company maintains the previous rents were below market rate.

The city has received at least one complaint that the rent increase was retaliatory, which will be investigated by the city attorney.