Aurora landlord forced to sell apartment complex after Tren de Aragua take-over

After his apartment complex was occupied by the violent Venezuelan migrant gang Tren de Aragua, Aurora, CO landlord Zev Baumgarten has agreed to sell it in exchange for building code violations being dropped.

The city has accused Baumgarten of letting the Aspen Grove apartment complex fall into disrepair and into the hands of the Venezuelan gang, the New York Post reported. The landlord also owns another apartment block that has also been taken over by the Tren de Aragua gang. Baumgarten’s company has agreed to lease, sell, or find a "similar disposition" for the Aspen Grove complex. The structure was closed in August, leaving 300 residents looking for new accommodation, the Denver Gazette reported.

The Venezuelan Tren de Aragua gang’s strong presence in Colorado is another consequence of the Biden-Harris administration’s open border policy that has seen millions enter the US and be transported to their destination of choice. This Venezuelan gang reportedly began taking over another Aurora apartment building called the Whispering Pines Apartments in late 2023, according to a letter sent to Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman, Aurora City Manager Jason Batchelor, and the interim police chief that was obtained by CBS News Colorado.

A Denver law firm researched the claim and produced a report confirming the extent of the gang control. The story went national with the release of footage that apparently showed the gang members having the run of the apartment complex.

Before Baumgarten can sell or lease the Aspen Grove site, his company must pay to clean up the run-down structure. He blames the gang for his apartments looking like a war zone.

According to the Post, the police were first notified about the gang having infiltrated the apartment almost one year ago. When the situation didn’t change, “an investor” said the building just continued to deteriorate as staff quit their jobs, garbage was not picked up and repairs were not completed.

In June, attorneys for the landlords asked police to intervene, saying the gang had “forcibly taken control” of Aspen Grove. The city declared the apartment complex a “criminal nuisance,” closing the building and removing the tenants. But Baumgarten was then targeted by the city with more than 80 building code violations.

Although the landlord says the gangs are entirely responsible for the damage, the city has noted that another Baumgarten-owned apartment block was flagged for building code violations in 2020, before the gang epidemic.

As the Post noted, Aurora is a suburb of Denver and opposed the larger community declaring itself as a sanctuary city. Since doing so, 42,000 illegal immigrants, many from Venezuela, have poured into Aurora.