A busted elevator in a recently opened Sun Valley apartment building has turned daily life into an uphill slog for some disabled residents, who say every trip outside now means two flights of stairs and roughly 100 extra feet of walking. Carlos Soto, who lives on the second floor at Sol Apartments, says he is hauling his walker up and down the stairs for groceries, work, and basic errands, turning routine outings into mini endurance tests. Neighbors and housing advocates say the outage shows how fast a simple mechanical failure can morph into an accessibility crisis in new affordable housing.
As reported by Denver7, Soto said the elevator just steps from his front door has been out for more than three weeks and that "My whole routine has changed." According to the station, Denver Housing Authority staff told Soto in an email they were "working to resolve the elevator issues," but did not give any timeline for repairs. Sen. Tony Exum Sr., a sponsor of the 2024 tenant-protection bill, told Denver7 a dwelling is "considered uninhabitable when there are conditions that are unhealthy or unsafe."
What The Law Requires
Under the federal law summarized on ADA.gov, landlords and property managers must make reasonable accommodations to ensure tenants with disabilities can access their homes. Colorado's Safe Housing for Residential Tenants law (SB24-094) sets specific repair time frames, creates a rebuttable presumption that owners have failed to act if serious conditions persist after 7 or 14 days, and authorizes temporary relocation - such as a comparable dwelling or hotel room - while major habitability problems are fixed. The law was approved in 2024 and took effect May 3, 2024, with sponsors saying it clarifies tenants' warranty-of-habitability protections.
Sun Valley Context
Sol is part of the Denver Housing Authority's broader Sun Valley redevelopment, and DHA and its partners marked Sol's grand opening on May 29, 2025. According to the Denver Housing Authority, Sol at 2699 W. 10th Avenue offers mixed-income units meant to replace older public housing in the neighborhood. For residents who moved into the new building expecting modern, accessible living, an elevator outage in a recently finished complex adds a bitter twist to those promises.
What Tenants Can Do
Disabled tenants are advised to submit a written request for reasonable accommodation and to keep detailed records of all communication with property management. Under the process described in Colorado General Assembly materials, if a landlord does not fix an uninhabitable condition within the required time frame, tenants may be entitled to remedies that include temporary relocation, rent abatement, or pursuing claims in court. Advocates also suggest reaching out to DHA's resident services and, if needed, filing a complaint with HUD or contacting a tenant-rights organization.
Soto and his neighbors say they want a clear repair timeline along with reliable alternatives while the elevator is out. The Housing Authority told Denver7 it would respond the following week; tenants say they need faster action to avoid health risks and potential falls on the stairways that have suddenly become unavoidable.
