Furnace malfunction forces college students to take cold showers, seek hot water at hotel next door

Nelson Partners Student Housing manages the property. CBS News Colorado reached out but has not yet received a response.

However, a student, Peyton Blondin, shared an email with CBS News Colorado showing property management is in contact with the Denver Department of Public Health and Environment to restore hot water service.

“It feels dirty because you don’t shower that often and it’s actually brutal, you just feel dirty,” another student expressed.

The health department says it has received at least eight complaints from residents in a statement from a department spokesperson to CBS News Colorado.

Spokeswoman Emily Williams also confirmed that health investigators have been working on the issue for several months and water temperatures are below required levels.

CBS

A statement from a spokesperson said:

“DDPHE’s Residential Health team reviews and enforces city ordinances and regulations for residential properties. Our Residential Health investigators have been working with Auraria Student Lofts on this issue for several months. DDPHE has received eight complaints about this property and our investigators have reported water temperatures below the requirements of the Housing Code and our rules and regulations.

We take housing code violations seriously and on September 21st ordered the property brought into compliance with city codes and corrected this issue. The property submitted an extension request because it needed to order a custom-made part that is expected to be delivered by December 11th. Because facility residents were provided access to alternative showering options, DDPHE granted the extension. This accommodation shares the building with the Curtis Hotel and residents of the Auraria Student Loft can use the shower facilities in empty rooms.”

CBS

For now, residents must first sign up for a shower time slot at the Curtis Hotel, which is adjacent to the lofts. The hotel is only open from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m

Some students express that this is not the best option.

“The hotel is really disgusting and very humid,” said one student.

Another shared a similar sentiment, adding: “If you have to shower, you have to do it, but it’s no fun.”

CBS

The lofts have 125 units and more than 400 beds.

In the same email, a student from property management stated that the parts needed for repairs to the water heater had been ordered through a third party and those parts were being serviced.

The Denver Department of Public Health and Environment gave them until December 11th.

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