Calvert Apartments Mt. Vernon Ave ripoff BOGUS APT. SECURITY /WATER OUTAGES/ELEVATOR DOWN/SECURITY DOORS DOWN/NO CAMERA FUNCITIONING/MORE OCCUPANTS PER APT THAN ON LEASE/LAUNDRY ROOM USED FOR A LAUNDRY SERVICE Alexandria Virginia
1)I had a reasonable expectation this apartment had a functioining video monitoring system, two cameras in the main floor lobby and two cameras in the basement lobby - NONE ARE WORKING
2)I had a reasonable expectation that the security phone system would work, guests dial a number and residents could buzz guests in the entrances THIS DOES NOT WORK
3) I had a reasonable expectation that the satellite police office in the entrance to the building was occupied by police- THIS IS AN EMPTY UNMANNED OFFICE WITH NOTHING BUT AN ALEXANDRIA POLICE DEPARTMENT SEAL ON THE DOOR
3) I had a reasonable expectation that broken appliances would be repaired or replaced in a reasonable amount of time - I think 1 week is reasonable- BUT the repairs required three months to fix the dishwasher, one month to replace the refrigerator
4)THE ELEVATORS IN THIS 15 STORY BUILDING ARE ALWAYS BROKEN
and the management would not let me put my perishable groceries in their refrigerator or that of an unoccupied apartment until the elevator came back on ( four hours later ) My ice cream melted and the chicken was ruined
5) FREQUENT WATER OUTAGES- the pipes are constantly popping and the water is turned off so often it is ridiculous.
6) The bar/restaurant on the ground level is frequented by a sometimes unsavory group of people who have followed women to the elevators and cause numerous distubances.
7) The apartments are often occupied by more people than names appear on the lease for a particular unit. Seven and eight people occupy one bedroom apartments. Management often selects those who are eligible for public housing assistancce over professionals who can pay the rent. I was told this was to integrate the building with various races and ethics, which is great but if the assisted housing residents can not pay the same rent everyone else must pay in order to qualify on the credit check, they probably won't add much to the quality of life and standard of living the rest of us strive to maintain.
8) The office staff hire people with questionable personall backgrounds and there have been numerous incidents of the office being closed to residents DURING NORMAL BUSINESS HOURS when mail is delivered to the building manager.
M
alex, Virginia
U.S.A.
3 Updates & Rebuttals
M
Alexandria,Virginia,
U.S.A.
this metropolitan area has a tremendous crime problem
#4Consumer Suggestion
Thu, August 26, 2004
I live in a building with security, the police sub station because I travel a lot, this metropolitan area has a tremendous crime problem, and I thought it would be a deterrant to the criminal subculture. It has not proven itself to dter criminals. This is a pricey neighborhood, bordering a lower income housing project, somewhat hidden from view, which I did not know was a project. Down the road two blocks single family homes are going for 2 million.
Sherri
Piedmont,California,
U.S.A.
ACTUALLY, PEOPLE ON SUBSIDIZED HOUSING DON'T HAVE IT SO GREAT
#4Consumer Comment
Tue, August 24, 2004
In most places, if someone receiving Section 8 or other assistance causes problems within an apartment complex, they can immediately be terminated from the program. This includes problems such as noise complaints and guests of the tenant being unruly. If they are arrested for drug or other illegal activity, it is usually automatic termination from the program and eviction.
I just don't understand why a "working professional" would want to live in a building/area that would require a police substation in the building. I personally wouldn't.
Sha
Alexandria,Virginia,
U.S.A.
my first day visiting this website, and I've had quite an interesting time reading
#4Consumer Comment
Mon, August 23, 2004
Today is my first day visiting this website, and I've had quite an interesting time reading over the submissions. Normally I wouldn't comment, however, there were a couple of statements made by more than one person and I just couldn't let it go.
Albeit the fact that alot of your complaints regarding this apartment complex may or may not be true; this is not what my issue is. I just wonder how someone on one hand can complain so eloquently but on the other be such an ignorant bigot and say something like "Management often selects those who are eligible for public housing assistance over professionals who can pay the rent. I was told this was to integrate the building with various races and ethics, which is great but if the assisted housing residents can not pay the same rent everyone else must pay in order to qualify on the credit check, they probably won't add much to the quality of life and standard of living the rest of us strive to maintain".
WOW! Really? First let me start off by saying that any apartment complex/housing unit, etc. does not "select those who are eligible for assisted housing" over "professionals who can pay the rent". Most apartment complexes agree to set aside a small percentage of their units in order to receive tax benefits and incentives for doing so. These individuals must go through the same job history, rental history, as well as credit checks as any other person or "professional" as you call it. As well, there are strict guidelines as to how many people - even these people who won't add to the quality of life and standard of living that you're striving to maintain - can live in a unit at one time. And I doubt that "ethics" was the word use. Maybe "ethnic origins" - I doubt that your apartment complex stated that people who qualify for assisted housing have a different code of morals.
Secondly, and probably most importantly, you and your cohorts on this site have apparently confused people eligible for assisted housing benefits with ex-convicts and repeat offenders. For the record, I do not qualify for this program now, however, my mother does. My mother who after 25 years of being married to a veteran of this wonderful country - is now disabled and on dialysis and can no longer work to support herself. The same woman who worked hard every day to make sure that I had when she did not; the same woman who worked just as hard as you do now and probably alot harder. She has survived babies, husbands, wars, and has countless words of wisdom and encouragement to give me even if she doesn't have alot of money. But I'll just let her know that she doesn't add to anyone's quality of life and standard of living because she doesn't have enough money to pay the astronomical amount of rents that are the norm here in the Wash DC area and the fact that no one who makes less than $40,000/yr can even support themselves by themselves here. I'll let her know that she should go move to a ghetto or somewhere else where there are other poor people who don't care about quality or standards of life.
Obviously with you being a "professional" and all your apartment complex should know better than to put "those" people near you. And obviously poor people embrace lower qualities and standards of living.
Finally I would like to point out that every apartment complex provides a lease and their are basic expectations not only on the tenant, but the landlord as well. Being a professional, I'm sure you are aware that the landlord is expected to meet their obligations as well and if they do not then you can terminate the lease and choose to move elsewhere. And why wouldn't you? You pay all that money and you have to live around poor people? The nerve of some.
Best of luck to you.