Avondale Apartments Habitability Settlement

The settlement covers tenants and certain adult household members connected to a lease at Avondale Apartments. The notice says that people receiving the notice have already been identified by the Settlement Administrator as Avondale Class members.

• You were an adult member of the household, named on the lease, and had the right to live in the unit.
• The lease was for a residential unit at Avondale Apartments, 3275 W. 14th Ave., Denver, Colorado 80204, during the stated class period.

For the regular Avondale Class payment, the notice says you do not need to do anything. Your payment is to be sent by check. Staying in the Class means you are bound by the court's final rulings in this case.

• You do not need to send a claim form for the regular Class payment.
• The payment will be mailed by regular mail.
• By staying in the Class and accepting the settlement, you give up the right to bring or continue certain claims against the defendants and released parties about the issues covered by this case.

The notice does not say what any one person will receive. It says payments are based on length of tenancy after deductions from the overall settlement fund.

• The notice does not give a set dollar amount for any individual.
• Payments are to be divided on a pro rata basis, meaning shares are based on each Class or Subclass member's length of tenancy.
• The $2 million settlement fund is not all available for payments because it includes fees, expenses, administration costs, and service-payment requests.

The Fair Housing Subclass is for Class members with a qualifying mobility-related handicap. A successful Subclass claim may provide additional money on top of the regular Class payment.

• You must be an Avondale Class member.
• You must be handicapped as defined by the Colorado Fair Housing Act.
• Your handicap must affect mobility or your ability to go up or down stairs.
• You must submit a complete, valid, and timely claim form with medical documentation of your specific handicap.

The documentation requirement applies to the additional Fair Housing Subclass payment, not the automatic regular Class payment.

• Submit the enclosed claim form by email, mail, or through the Settlement Website.
• Include medical documentation of your specific handicap.
• The form must be emailed, postmarked, or submitted online by January 2, 2027.
• The notice says you should receive an acceptance, rejection, or request for more information within 14 days after submitting a complete, valid, timely claim.

You may choose to exclude yourself, also called opting out. This is different from objecting: a person who opts out does not receive money from this settlement.

• Opting out means leaving the settlement.
• You will not receive settlement money or benefits.
• You will not be bound by the court's judgments in this case, and may pursue your own claims if allowed by law.
• Complete and send the enclosed Opt-Out Form by January 2, 2027.

Objecting lets you remain in the Class while telling the court or Settlement Administrator what you do not agree with. It does not remove you from the settlement.

• You may send a written objection explaining your reasons to the Settlement Administrator by email or mail.
• A written objection must be emailed or postmarked by January 2, 2027.
• Instead of sending a written objection, the notice says you may appear at the hearing and state your objection.

At this hearing, the court will consider whether to approve the settlement and the proposed attorney fees.

• The hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on March 4, 2027.
• It will be in Courtroom 424 of Denver District Court, 1437 Bannock St., Denver, Colorado 80202.
• You do not have to attend, but may appear and address the court.

The effect on public benefits depends on the program and a person's circumstances. The notice does not say that a payment will affect every recipient's benefits.

• The notice says a settlement payment could affect eligibility for SSI, SSDI, OAP, AND, SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, or other public benefits.
• It says recipients generally have an obligation to report a settlement payment to the agency providing the benefit.
• The notice encourages people with concerns to consult an advocate or benefits attorney.