A similar phenomenon is driving tenant unionization, says Eida Altman, organizing director of Denver Metro Tenants Union. “We're still getting more calls than we know what to do with, just because the conditions that people are living in are deteriorating while rents go up,” Altman says. “Rents are higher, conditions are worse.”

DMTU is involved with around 900 households right now. According to Altman, DMTU has seen a rise in out-of-state investors as well as large, private-equity landlords that are unconcerned with the lives of tenants. Those tenants are now reaching out to DMTU for help.

“The reality is that there are bad actors out there who are not putting in the work that’s necessary to maintain their properties on a regular basis,” said Nicol Caldwell, who oversees 11 public health inspection programs for Denver’s public health department, including the residential team. “We have made a concerted effort to dedicate a large portion of our time to taking care of it.”

"I thought I would be paying $1,350, and at first I thought it was great," she said. Then, she got the bill for what Cedar Run called "utilities," which included fees for pest control, real estate taxes and a service fee. She said her "utility" bill fees vary from $120 to $185. Her apartment complex is owned by California-based Gelt Venture Partners, which did not respond to Denver7 Investigates' request for comment.Tenant advocates said this fee practice is all too common, often written into boilerplate leases used by many out-of-state corporate landlords. "When you add all of those fees up, we're seeing fees between $150 to $250 a month," said Eida Altman with the Denver Metro Tenants Union.

To get a license, landlords must pass an inspection ensuring that there is working hot water, proper electricity and sufficient rodent infestation control along with the other minimum requirements of Denver’s housing code. But the Felix's tenants say there hasn't been much action despite those requirements.

Spurred on by the conditions at the Felix cited by tenants like Stark — and by a Colorado appellate court ruling last summer that highlighted shortcomings in existing law — state lawmakers and Gov. Jared Polis this month tightened the state’s warrant of habitability. That is the section of statute governing safe and clean housing.

Over 100 of the complex's residents — including several refugees from Afghanistan — have joined a union to fight for better conditions.

Nearly a week after the newly formed Denver Metro Tenants Union held its first official meeting, on Wednesday it organized its first official picket with the Clarkson Tenant Union, outside of the Boutique Apartments management company.