223 E. Town

Sandra Long a month ago

WARNING TO RESIDENTS OF 223 E. TOWN ST PLEASE carefully review your ledgers and bank statements. Many tenants, including long term residents such as myself are being charged hundreds of dollars in unexplained fees with little or no explanation. Common area electric fees reportedly increased from around $32 to as high as $181-$250, with some of you paying an extra $250-$575 monthly. If you use autopay, check your statements immediately. Management issued 3 day notices demanding cashier’s checks only. Under Ohio law, a 3 day notice does NOT mean you must leave immediately. Eviction requires a court filing, notice of a hearing, and a judge’s decision. Tenants also have the right to request continuances and present evidence in court. Ohio law recognizes certified funds including money orders, and residents should know their rights before feeling pressured by payment demands. The fact management is requesting cashiers check only is only one of the hundreds of red flags. Ohio residents also have the right to place rent into escrow with the court if landlords fail to maintain safe and habitable living conditions. There’s also been serious concerns about safety and management practices. A $14,571 unpaid garage electric bill was posted on the leasing office door while the garage remained open during ongoing “maintenance,” despite reports of package thefts, apartment break ins, and multiple police reports filed by tenants. Management never sent any building wide warning or email notifying tenants about the break ins or thefts occurring in the building. The stress caused by these fees and ongoing conditions has had severe effects on residents. One resident was hospitalized following a suicide attempt connected to the financial and emotional stress tied to the situation in the building and management still hasn’t reached out to her or her family. We have retained legal representation for everyone in building and you will be represented at your eviction court date and also for the civil and criminal charges we are pursuing… we only have to pay the attorneys AFTER we win lawsuit. We assure you this hasn’t been done without doing our due diligence. Private investigators have also been documenting these issues for the past two months. Complaints and evidence have already been submitted to the Ohio Attorney General, the Columbus City Attorney, and multiple local news stations. We encourage you to document everything, keep copies of all payments and notices, review Ohio tenant rights laws, and educate themselves before responding to pressure or threats regarding housing. And for those of you who are looking to move here…. DONT, this has been the worst experience imaginable and we won’t stop until everyone is held accountable.

Tracy Rushing 2 months ago

Do NOT move here. Possible fraud and serious financial mismanagement by ownership or management. Future residents please read this before you sign anything. A few days ago we found a City of Columbus Department of Public Utilities Power Service Termination Notice on the leasing office door. The reason? Non-payment of $14,571.32. That’s not a resident’s bill. That’s the BUILDING’s bill. They haven’t been paying the city for power. On top of that our “common area electric” fee went from $31 a month to $181 with absolutely no explanation. And when our internet went out we called Spectrum ourselves and found out management let the contract expire. But they had been telling residents something totally different. We also looked into who actually owns this building and honestly it’s alarming. The ownership structure basically lets random people “buy in” so there’s no single person actually responsible for anything. No one accountable. No one in charge. And it shows. So just to recap: they’re not paying the city utility bill, they let the internet contract lapse, they’re raising fees on residents with no transparency, and they’ve been lying to tenants about why services keep going out. At this point something illegal is clearly going on here and future residents deserve to know that. But I guarantee you they will still send late notices and take residents to court over rent. And if that happens, everything I just described will be brought up in that courtroom. Don’t say nobody warned you.

Mel a month ago

DO NOT move here, even if this feels like your last resort. I honestly wouldn’t wish living here on my worst enemy. First, the community WiFi/internet bundle was down for 3 days, and residents received absolutely no courtesy email or communication from management explaining why. We only found out through the internet provider that the apartment complex had apparently closed the account. Clearly, the leasing office knew what was going on, yet they failed to communicate with residents in a timely or professional manner. Secondly, package theft in this complex is a serious issue. I didn’t realize how bad it was until it happened to me personally. When I reported my concerns to the office, I was simply told to file a police report or make an insurance claim — as if that somehow replaces people’s hard-earned money or gives residents peace of mind. I asked management to review the camera directly above the package area in the lobby, and they claimed the camera only captures the entrance. Yet residents were told that a man came in and stole packages, even though key card access is required to enter the building. That raises major concerns about how secure this community actually is. Because of this, I started having my packages delivered to a friend’s house instead. But why should residents have to do that while paying expensive rent and additional fees every month? Management also suggested having packages delivered directly to apartment doors instead. I did exactly that with a television delivery — and it was stolen. At that point, it became obvious this likely isn’t some random outsider, but someone within the community. Still, management has done nothing meaningful to address the issue or improve security. I strongly encourage anyone searching for an apartment to look elsewhere. The management team does not take residents’ safety, concerns, or communication seriously.

Avery Lawson 3 months ago

If you are an everyday person who lives paycheck to paycheck or doesn't have a financial cushion for emergencies, do not move here. Management has made it clear they will start the eviction process the day after the third of the month if rent is not paid in full. No grace, no conversation. They also sent out a notice demanding residents hand over government-issued photo IDs to a third-party company that is not even mentioned in the lease, threatening eviction for not complying within 5 days. That is not legal. They know most people won't push back. This complex is the definition of predatory housing. It is not built for regular working people, it is built to squeeze you and remove you the second you show any vulnerability. If you lose your job, have a medical emergency, or anything unexpected happens in your life, they will not work with you. Please do not think it will be different for you. Do not move here.

Laura Grolla 2 years ago

I was greeted and taken on a tour right away. The lovely manager—Valerie? —was kind, prepared and answered all my questions. She allowed me to take a few photos to share with my sister and I loved the place. Well kept, beautiful decor, and a great private patio.