Public Eye: Why haven't the owners cleaned up this neglected OKC apartment complex?

After two out-of-state investment companies purchased the Isola Bella apartment complex two years ago, the new ownership renamed it The Alora and promised to invest $30,000 into each of the property's 850 units.

Fast forward to summer 2023, and the complex is in shambles.

Several units have broken doors and windows that leave them unsecured. Residents have complained that transients use these empty apartments, leaving behind rotting trash and pests that make their way through the buildings' shared ductwork.

"I've always considered it secure and safe. And I don't anymore," said one resident who spoke to Public Eye about their living conditions.

The problem: A neglected project

Just driving through the apartment complex gives clues to how poorly it's been treated.

During a recent visit, Public Eye saw trash overflowing in all of the property's garbage bins and unmowed grass throughout. In some places (but not everywhere it's needed), broken windows and glass doors have been covered with plywood.

The amenities, which include pools and an indoor gym, have reportedly been closed for years.

Since new ownership took over in 2021, the complex has received 41 complaints at the Oklahoma City Action Center, the city's hotline for code violation reports. The vast majority of those complaints (30 of them) were filed in just the past five months. Several of those led to compliance notices issued by the city.

More: Public Eye investigates issues that impact you. This is what we've found so far

Many of the complaints echo what we heard from a resident who emailed Public Eye with their concerns. The resident, who asked to not be identified by name because they worried about retribution from their landlord, said things have gone downhill since the new ownership took over.

Along with unsecured apartments full of rotting trash, they've seen people using stairwells as a toilet.

"Nothing is being done about any of this. I don't understand why they're just letting these apartments rot. It kind of blows my mind," the resident said. "I was worried the place might be going bankrupt."

What we found: Bad management

During our investigation, Public Eye spoke with Oklahoma City Code Enforcement Superintendent Chad Davidson. He had just visited with on-site apartment staff who told him the complex went delinquent with its trash pickup service, but the overdue bill had been paid.

Davidson said he saw multiple violations on the property that day.

"The condition of this one, I mean, the only thing I can say is that when we did give notice, we felt that it was in violation. It's in violation today," Davidson told Public Eye in August, describing overflowing trash, high grass and unsecured apartments.

To resolve the issues at The Alora, Davidson said he wanted to get together with other city offices, including the police department, to ensure that the apartment complex falls in line with city codes.

The city has options when it comes to resolving code violations. For things like abandoned vehicles or overflowing trash, the city can fix those issues and bill the property owner. For other violations that lead to a citation, they'd have to settle the issue in municipal court.

Code enforcement notified more than 18,000 properties of violations last year and provided about 77,000 inspections, Davidson said.

Until recently, The Alora was managed locally by an Arkansas company called Trinity Multifamily. The company had a limited presence on the internet, and its latest social media post was made last year.

A person who answered the phone at The Alora in recent weeks directed questions to the apartment's new management company, Asset Living. The changeover was so new that the apartment's office worker didn't even have the new company's contact information.

The resident who first emailed Public Eye about the problems told us that some renovation and maintenance work had been done after the property changed hands in 2021, but it seemed like they stopped spending money at some point.

"For a while there they were doing the grounds, trimming trees and doing a little bit of landscaping. And then abruptly everything stopped about a year ago," said the resident.

We tried to reach apartment owner Elevate Commercial Investment Group multiple times but did not receive a response. The investment group, which is based in Dallas, owns 18 apartment complexes, mostly in Texas, according to its website. Like other apartment ownership companies, Elevate contracts with property management companies to provide local support to residents and maintain their properties.

Their holdings include at least one other Oklahoma apartment complex, Crosby Park in Lawton. Residents there complained this summer about broken and insufficient air conditioning.

In Irving, Texas, Elevate acquired an apartment complex known as Story Hill in 2021 and renamed it to The Braxton. The complex was vacant after water damage from that year's winter storm. Reviews posted to Google include complaints about hopeful tenants paying a $250 application fee and having to wait months with no update about whether they can move in.

Eventually, after multiple attempts to speak with someone connected to The Alora, Public Eye received an email from someone claiming to be with the apartment complex who replied to our questions. This new management at The Alora blamed previous management for letting things get so bad.

"The deterioration occurred due to a lack of maintenance and oversight from a previous management company that we trusted to manage the property for us," wrote the employee, who only gave their first name, Denisha.

More promises

Maintenance staff is working on temporary repairs for broken doors and windows, the employee told Public Eye. They also said that reopening amenities is a top priority and would be complete "as soon as possible."

When asked why transients are allowed unfettered access to the property, including inside vacant apartments, The Alora employee told us stricter access control measures would be implemented.

"(Management is) also coordinating with local authorities to address transient occupancy. A professional security company will be providing on site security including night patrol starting no later than August 28, 2023," they wrote.

As for the promise of investing $30,000 in each unit, Denisha told us the owners plan to refinance a construction loan this fall with construction beginning in early 2024.

As of last week, Davidson said The Alora was compliant.

So what can residents do when they have an absentee landlord who won't maintain the property? First of all, you can notify the OKC Action Center about potential code violations. If they find a violation, officials can cite the property owner or simply fix the problem and bill the owner for the work.

Davidson, the city's code enforcement supervisor, said apartment management can notify police to help deal with transients on the property.

The state's landlord and tenant law gives few meager options. According to an analysis provided by Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, tenants can either make repairs on their unit themselves or move with no repercussions to their lease agreement.

If making repairs yourself, you must give the landlord 14 days notice. You can then deduct the cost of repairs from next month's rent. If the property is “unlivable” or “uninhabitable" or is dangerous according to state law, tenants can give the landlord written notice of the problem and move out right away.

Meanwhile, Public Eye will keep watch on The Alora to see if the owners honor their promises. And if you've contacted OKC Action Center for a landlord issue, let us know how it went.

Have a problem? Let Public Eye help. Email us at publiceye@oklahoman.com.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Out-of-state-owners neglecting The Alora apartments in OKC