Housing Catalyst - Fort Collins, Colorado

Laura H.

We applied and were approved after a rigorous review and evaluation process by the board at Housing Catalyst. We put the required $50 hold/application fee via money order as instructed. Their representatives assured us we would sign the lease agreement after three days. Three days passed and we were told the unit was not ready for occupancy that we would need to wait another four days and they required more paperwork from us. Four days passed we submitted the requested paperwork expecting to sign the lease agreement. The representative has now informed us we have to submit more documents and our case has to be reviewed by the board again but that “they’re really rooting for us” and we should be able to sign the lease agreement in another three days. Three days later the representative informed us the board agreed we are approved again, but the unit isn’t ready. On top of unit not being ready the board has now requested more paperwork and documents. The representative has assured us that once the board convenes the following day this representative will submit the requested documents and paperwork we provided via email to the board and we will sign later that afternoon.
Later that afternoon we received a phone call alerting us that the representative never received the documents or paperwork sent by email so the signing of the lease agreement will be delayed until they have received and approved the documents at the next meeting. We asked them “did you check your junk mail”. The representative replied “umm, no?” We responded with “Can you please check your junk mailbox because we utilize read receipts.” To which they opened the junk mailbox and discovered that the emails contained the requested information bringing us back to the waiting game. The board meets again. The board approves us again. The representative confirms that we have to wait again not because of paperwork this time but now the unit is not ready due to a misreading of the maintenance schedule for the make ready. Meanwhile we’ve been completely packed up in a moving van sleeping in sleeping bags on the floor and eating cold food out of cans. Fun. Our mistake there. We trusted the professionalism of an unknown organization to keep a schedule and it went sour on us. We have no other recourse but to place our belongings in a storage unit and sleep in our car until Housing Catalyst comes through or we find alternative accommodation. The moral of the story: if you find yourself requiring housing from Housing Catalyst understand that they move at a pace that can only be measured as glacial. That their representatives operate in a different manner outside the norm and if you are not thoughtfully organized your life will become a slow creeping catastrophe while you remain in a holding pattern for them to gather themselves together long enough for you to literally be prostrate at their feet begging to sign the lease agreement. There is no room for dignity here. After all, this is Fort Collins. Most of us can’t afford it and Housing Catalyst knows it.

Update: We are proven to be even more imbecilic. Our desperation to not land on homelessness begins to show apparent. Foolishly we gave the representative another money order for $500. On that day (Thursday) we were assured the unit we were to move into was again, not yet ready, as flooring had to be replaced. We were able to take occupancy the day after. The day after (Friday) arrives but the office representative failed to provide a scheduled appointment time as they do not answer phones nor do they take unscheduled visits. The representative has displayed a multitude of failures in communication, system, and office management resulting in severe delays for potential clients. These issues would not be alarming had money not been exchanged. We are unfamiliar with the upper management of Housing Catalyst and can only express our experiences with the representatives at the lower level which we assume are able to operate unobserved and without supervision.

*NUDE T. *.

Considering how amazing the building staff is, I think it’s ridiculous that I have to give these guys 3 stars overall because of constantly rude maintenance staff. I have not had one positive experience with them and there have been an almost unbelievable amount of maintenance needing to have access to my unit and they don’t even do anything. I’m just completely over it. Every experience except for one has been unbelievably rude and they have actually damaged my property while “making repairs.” This building isn’t even a year old and the amount of damage that’s been done is almost comical. I’m going to have to actually paint my own unit because they refuse to do so. It’s upsetting.

Also, they are trying to evict me because i found a lost dog and brought it home until i could locate the owners and get her home again. They use discriminatory housing practices as my neighbor who did the same thing was given a written warning. I also emailed management prior to all this to try to get some kind of special exception. Claim they never received it but i have proof it was sent. Theyre gonna have to evict me and i don’t see it being successful for them

Na

Colorado native for 50 years. I had applied for housing and eventually accepted but told them I would not qualify to apartments so they put me on another list for section 8. I eventually became homeless waiting for an answer. I recently contacted them and they said I was no longer on the list since they tried to contact me and received no answer. I don't know how they would contact me when I was homeless. Horrible experience with them. I can't apply because they are not accepting applicants. I am terminally ill and have no time to wait. I have seen many instances where so called single moms with children get a place immediately and they have their husband living there and housing never checks. In loveland I know they would do surprise visits to verify. Not here. Need to remove whoever is running this place and investigate which I have happily reported to the State of Colorado.

Kerri L.

When I first received my voucher housing catalyst was great. I moved out of my apartment in January of this year. I had a difficult time finding a new place because of several factors regarding the apartments. Utilities, move in dates, etc. I unfortunately had to turn down an apartment because I knew I couldn't afford the utilities. I had 12 days left before my housing voucher expired. In that time we applied for the last 30 day extension. I was denied and wasn't given a reason. My voucher expired and I was out of time to find a place. Shortly after I received a call from an apartment manager where I had applied to a few weeks prior. This was the second call from them and they wanted to know if I was still wanting an apartment. I had to tell them my voucher expired and I couldn't get extension. I could have been in my own place now but now I'm living in my car. I'm 57 and I have health issues. I'm on SSI and with my other bills, I can't make ends meet. Gas and food prices are killing me. I just wanted to thank housing catalyst for their unfair decision which left me on the streets when I did nothing wrong.

Shayn M.

I've lived here for 3 years. I didn't have problems really until this last year. I had maintance come out and they made a bunch of discriminate remarks to me and my wife. They didn't even fix anything and charged me 1000$ for maintance!- no notice about it until the added it to my rent and served me with a notice. I disputed and explained my stuff still wasn't working nor was I ever informed I'd be charged. I explained it was retaliation after I filed multiple complaints about the comments they made to my wife and I, which I have camera footage of.
3 years I've been here, I almost never ask for maintance. 1000 to fix a dishwasher and a dryer....
This is suppose to be low income housing. Appalling how they treat their residence.
Also they never do maintance, snow removal or any preventive care for their homes. And make ridiculous rules - like not doing laundry after 10pm.
I have filed complaints and I will see them through. Good luck if u live her, my advice, record every interaction. I know I DO!

Grant M.

Housing Catalyst has been helping me with my housing by providing me with financial assistance for my rent for over a decade. With rent being so expensive here, I could not afford a roof over my head on my income. Many thanks to Patty and the rest of the staff there. Everyone is knowledgeable and very friendly.

oldgoat

I was granted 1,692$ a month
Now I owe 350$ in back rent as they are denying us nearly 400$ .
I do belive I need to go to county courts and look at filing extortion against both the appartment complex and housing catalyst.
The appartment we were given does not legally pass inspections as the window leaks over a gallon of water an hour

Kelli H.

Horrible place to live. I’ve lived here almost 3 years and I’ve had multiple harassment issues and property management has done nothing about it.. If it doesn’t benefit them they won’t do anything. I’ve had cameras pointed at my bedroom window and no one has done anything. Cameras pointed at my kids recording their every move and no one does anything. Cops have been involved and they won’t do anything. They are very lax about their rules and regulations and they don’t follow the lease agreements at all. Don’t live here.!!!