Creek, apartments and alleys

Speer runs alongside Speer Boulevard and the Cherry Creek greenway, a long corridor of trees, banks and trail that wildlife uses to move through the city. Away from the creek, the neighborhood is a mix of older brick apartment buildings, condominium buildings, Denver Squares, Victorian-era houses and newer infill. A large share of residents rent, and many owners live in buildings governed by an HOA.

Garden-level apartments, partly below the sidewalk, are common in older buildings. Their windows sit in wells or light courts at grade, exactly where a foraging skunk travels. Shared dumpsters and recycling bins in the alleys attract animals coming up from the creek.

In a multi-unit building, a skunk problem is a common-area problem. A spray in a light well, under a back stair or in a shared basement affects several units, and the decision to bring in wildlife control or odor treatment usually rests with a property manager or HOA board.

A realistic sequence in a managed building

First evening
Residents notice the smell; whoever is closest to it reports to the manager or HOA in writing, noting location and time.
Next day
The manager has someone check light wells, under stairs, the trash enclosure and any crawlspace or basement access.
Within a few days
A wildlife operator removes or excludes the animal if it is living on the property.
After the animal is gone
Odor treatment of the common area, then affected units, with notice to residents before entry.
Follow-up
Closures on light wells, gaps under stairs and trash enclosures; a recheck after the next rain.

Questions for Speer residents to raise

  1. Who in the building, manager or HOA, is responsible for wildlife and common-area odor?
  2. Has the trash enclosure been checked and its gate kept closed at night?
  3. Do garden-level window wells and light courts have covers or screens?
  4. Will odor treatment include the shared basement or crawlspace, not just the units?
  5. If the building shares a central air system or exhaust, will that be addressed?
  6. If the building is in a designated historic district, does any exterior change need city review?
Map of Speer. It shows an area, not an office or a job site.

Common questions

Can I hire someone myself if the HOA is slow to respond?

Inside your own unit, usually yes, though odor coming from a common area will keep returning until the source is handled. Check the HOA's rules on access to common areas before anyone works there.

General information for Washington Park, not a quote or professional advice. In an emergency, call 911.