Property owners who drove Vista Shadow Mountain Apartments into disrepair apply to redevelop property

Some people have new concerns about an empty, rundown apartment complex near 61st and Memorial, nearly four years after the Tulsa fire marshal forced everyone to move out because it was so unsafe.

The owners are the same ones who let the nearly 600-unit apartment complex fall apart with code violations, eventually leaving 200 people scrambling to find new homes.

Timeline: What Led To The Abandonment Of Vista Shadow Mountain Apartments In Tulsa?

Now, a Tulsa city councilor is alarmed by their new plan.

Issues from the start

“There is an apology owed that never came from the investment group or the management group," said Amber Dalaeli.

She moved into the Vista Shadow Mountain apartments in 2019 and says problems started early with car break-ins and a stolen catalytic converter, then major flooding during a winter storm.

“Every apartment that was empty, the water pipes were broken it was leaking into people's apartments."

Bad became worse when the Tulsa fire marshal declared the complex unsafe and everyone had to move out.

Amber said she was given five days to move out, but on the fifth day, she returned to a nightmare. Her late stepmother's jewelry was gone, too.

“My door had been kicked in and they gutted the entire apartment; the only thing left was the plywood floors and supporting beams," she said.

New concerns with property owners

City Councilor Lori Decter Wright helped hundreds of tenants find new homes back in 2021.

She’s concerned after finding out the owners, CityR Group, have asked an out-of-state real estate company, Adelaide Real Estate, to find contractors for a five-year renovation plan to Vista Shadow Mountain. CityR Group has applied for a permit through their consultants, Adelaide Real Estate Group.

“There's some concerns there," Decter Wright said. "That's a long time, actually 63 months.”

She said she wants truthful answers from a representative about the company's plans for the units and so far, hasn't heard from anyone. 

She said regardless of what happens with the development, she'll be keeping citizens informed with public meetings because this is such a busy area and so many people would be impacted by a major development. 

“How do we make sure the property stays in good condition and the management is doing right by the residents?" she said.

Class action lawsuit

A lawsuit filed by residents after they were kicked out was settled last year for $400,000, meaning each resident received about $2,000.

Dalaeli said it wasn't enough, and she never received an apology. She said she needs to see accountability if they begin to rebuild the apartments. 

“They need to make amends and make it public to make sure nothing like this happens again," she said. 

What's next

News On 6 reached out to City Group for comment, but has not received one.

News On 6 also reached out to Adelaide Real Estate Group for a response.