A tip about activity inside the complex prompted the accounts. Residents described fights among the unauthorized occupants, stolen packages and mail, and a growing sense of unease about safety in their own homes.

One tenant, who asked not to be identified because she fears for her safety, said management needs to take the initiative. "They do need to be proactive. They need to be on top of it because it's not fair to us to have to live with that fear and what's going to happen," she said.

She described being awakened in the middle of the night by loud groups moving in and out of a nearby empty unit. The people leave before property staff arrive in the morning and return in the evening, she said, often leaving trash behind. The vacant unit had electricity, she added, and the people inside had televisions and other personal belongings.

Westland Real Estate Group, which manages the property, said in a written statement that it is aware of reports of unauthorized individuals on the property. "We take community safety very seriously and have implemented several measures within our control to resolve this issue," the company said.

Westland said it secures units with window locks and plywood where needed, and has invested in live-monitoring security cameras and a secured entry gate. The company said it is working with Metro police and has been for some time.

"We are investing time, resources and funding to protect our residents and maintain our communities and we are looking to the city to match that commitment through timely intervention and action," the company said.

Asked about securing vacant units, Westland said all vacant units are currently secured. "We ensure that doors and windows are fully locked and, when necessary, barricaded to prevent unauthorized entry," the company said.

On utilities, Westland said its policy is to shut off service as soon as a unit is vacated, and that those procedures are now under review — a point that may matter to tenants who say at least one occupied empty unit had working power.

The company said residents can report concerns confidentially to the management office and that reports are handled securely to protect privacy. "We maintain an open line of communication and strongly encourage our residents to reach out to us regarding this or any other issue," Westland said. Concerns are addressed immediately when reported, according to the company, which said it will keep residents updated through its standard community communication channels.

County code enforcement was contacted and asked to investigate. Tenants said the county came to the property and the squatters were removed. Residents say they will be watching closely to see what happens next.

The situation highlights the pressure that vacant units and deferred maintenance can place on renters in older Las Vegas apartment complexes, where residents often have little control over how quickly a landlord secures an empty apartment or shuts off its utilities. For tenants at Rancho Alvarado, the immediate question is whether the removal will hold and whether management's promised security measures will keep the empty units from being reoccupied.