Carson Pines Apartments evicts 23 families with 6 days notice for problem they’ve been aware of since June 2021

Dozens of people are facing an eviction notice from the Carson Pines Apartment complex on David Street in Carson City with as little as six days notice to move.

The problem is that the apartment complex’s upper floors have become significantly damaged and deteriorated to the point of being structurally unsound — an issue management has known about, and been to court for, since at least June 2021.

While Heather Lopez of Eagle Real Estate Management Inc. told tenants that management waited to tell them until after Christmas so as to not “upset the holiday,” in reality, the complex and Eagle Real Estate has known about the problem since at least June 2021, when they were taken to court over the issue.

When speaking to Eagle Real Estate, they denied any involvement with Carson Pines Apartment, and stated that they simply “do the owner a favor every once in a while,” such as typing up correspondence.

However, according to tenants, Eagle Real Estate has been the sole management company of the property, and the owner of the apartments, William Kranz, was at one point also the owner of Eagle Real Estate.

All correspondence to tenants has come directly from Eagle Real Estate, and Heather Lopez signed her email signature with "Carson Pines Apartment."

A spokesperson for Eagle Real Estate stated that the owners of the complex are elderly and do not own a computer, which is why Eagle Real Estate helps them out “every once in a while.”

When pressed, the spokesperson admitted that all rent payments do go through Eagle Real Estate, but that Eagle Real Estate “doesn’t get any money from it.”

In an email sent to one tenant, Lopez stated that in an effort to “relieve financial burden,” tenants would receive a reimbursement of their security deposit, one month of rent returned and a “reasonable fee” for moving expenses.

However, Lopez stated that the funds would only be given to tenants “once (the) contract has been signed.”

It is not known what the contract tenants are being asked to sign includes.

Lopez also asked tenants not to discuss the evictions with the other tenants.

Many of the tenants who live at Carson Pines are low income, disabled, elderly, or are families with small children. Some tenants have turned to social media for help.

A group was created on Facebook to assist tenants through donations, including donations to help fix the stairs.

Tenants were told by Carson Pines that the stairs and catwalks were the issues behind the evictions. However, the entire upper half of the buildings is structurally unsound, according to the city.

“Last Thursday we went into court on some safety issues for the apartments upstairs, we were hoping the Judge would extend the time frame to get this issue corrected by the licensed contractor that we have hired, but unfortunately, she will not,” Lopez wrote to a tenant.

Those issues, according to the city, deemed all second-floor dwelling units as unsafe for habitation, as noted in a follow up letter from the city in Oct. 2021.

Carson Pines was found to be not in compliance with the following codes:

2. The anchorage of the floor or roof to walls or columns, and of walls and columns to foundations is not capable of resisting all nominal loads or load effects.

5. Structural members that have evidence of deterioration or that are not capable of safely supporting all nominal loads and load effects.

8. Roofing or roofing components that have defects that admit rain, roof surfaces with inadequate drainage, or any portion of the roof framing that is not in good repair with signs of deterioration, fatigue or without proper anchorage and incapable of supporting all nominal loads and resisting all load effects.

9. Flooring and flooring components with defects that affect serviceability or flooring components that show signs of deterioration or fatigue, are not properly anchored or are incapable of supporting all nominal loads and resisting all load effects.

12. Exterior stairs, decks, porches, balconies and all similar appurtenances attached thereto, including guards and handrails, are not structurally sound, not properly anchored or that are anchored with connections not capable of supporting all nominal loads and resisting all load effects.

The notice also stated that all tenants would need to vacate from the second floor due to the extensive construction that would need to occur on the roof.

In Oct. 2021, the city told Carson Pines they had until Dec. 22, 2022 to apply for and receive a permit for the work or else the city would be forced to condemn the building and bar tenants from entry. When doing so, they would give tenants 15 days notice.

Permits necessary included red-tagged (immediate and severe) items including the stairways, walkways and their supports, stairway handrails and guard rails.

Blue-tagged necessary permits were listed as the roof covering, roof structural repairs, and the replacement of missing or damaged storm drain and gutters, which must be completed within 90 days of the Dec. 7, 2022 hearing.

Green-tagged necessary permits are listed as repairs and/or replacement for deficient items identified by the engineer as having slight damage.

Additionally, the exterior sidewalks, courtyard, driveways, parking spaces and similar areas must be kept in a “proper state of repair and maintained free from hazardous conditions.” The engineer noted that sidewalks and parking areas were considered a safety hazard due to nearby roots elevating and cracking the pavement and walkways.

Prior to Oct. 2021, the city was forced to issue a Stop Work order to Carson Pines for all work which requires a licensed contractor, permit and inspections.

According to the notice, the second-floor walkways were previously covered in AstroTurf and were in a state of disrepair due to rot. The Astroturf had been removed and replaced with carpet; however, the city told Carson Pines they would need to remove the carpet to allow for a thorough inspection of the walkway beneath to ensure plywood had been replaced, fastened properly, and was protected from decay and moisture.

By way of these notices and the multiple court dates, the owners of the complex knew that the upper floors of the complex would have to be evicted as early as Oct. 2021. Tenants were never told of the impending eviction until after Christmas of this year.

Tenants are being referred to seek legal help from VARN: Volunteer Attorneys of Rural Nevada. Their phone number is (775) 883-8278 or you can contact them through their website here.

This is a developing story and we will continue to update as the situation progresses.