5 Comments

1. I had a really negative experience when I first moved in. I’m rewriting my review because it seems they have made some staffing changes since then, and there has been a big improvement.

   Pros: Tammy in concierge does an amazing job and is very pleasant. She goes out of her way to collect residents’ packages that amazon leaves out in the open despite the signage, which I really appreciate since I’ve had a few packages stolen. Wren seems to be under better management now, and it doesn’t take as long as it used to for repairs to be made. The amenities are clean and really nice.

   Cons: There seems to be frequent issues with things breaking in the building, particularly with plumbing which requires disruptions to use of water. The parking garage door broke and was left wide open for 2 months.

   There is a neighbor in the building next to the 1230 dog run who will scream, swear, and bang on the metal bars if you attempt to play with your dog, even quietly. He is always there, and my dog starts shaking when I go out there now. I was really upset that I wasn’t able to even toss a ball for him, and it is a major reason I am choosing to move out. I’ve sent videos to the staff in the leasing office, and I’ve also sent videos to the management of the neighboring building, and nobody seems to care.

   Overall, it’s a really pretty building, and they seem to be moving in a positive direction. Wasn’t a great fit for me due to the harassment from the screaming neighbor which prevented me from being able to use the amenities that I pay for.

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2. We moved here 2 weeks ago. Very happy with the apartment and all the amenities in the building. The concierges are always very friendly and helped me figure out where everything is. I have 2 dogs and they have already found friends here, we walk together in our dog park. The floors are always clean. Soundproofing is pleasing, in our old building you could always hear the neighbors and when someone was walking in the hallway, but here it is always quiet and no one bothers.
   I would like to have a mirror in at least one elevator to take photos, but these are trifles.

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3. If you have friends, do not live in Wren. They concierge just do nothing but giving out ticket and calling their potential partner towing company to tow your car. They don’t have guest parking which is super inconvenient and they don’t allow you to park your car on the side just for a quick stop. Therefore, unless you have no one visiting you, otherwise, I certainly do not recommend you live in Wren. Thank me later

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4. Not worth the rent price. Building itself is quiet but it’s next to a crackhead low income apartment with schizophrenic neighbors that scream randomly every day.

   Also concierge is terrible, they hire people from the hood that are rude and unhelpful. Lost so many packages because of thieves and poor management.

   Firetrucks go by every single day that blare their sirens at full volume.

   Basically this apartment is awful. My current apartment in Irvine is literally heaven compared to this godforsaken place

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5. Hello! This review of my time at The Wren will be detailed, resourceful and include information on renter’s protections. I moved here in November 2022.

   LOCATION: The Wren is in Downtown LA’s South Park neighborhood. Right off the highway, close to shops/restaurants/grocery store/nightlife. Minimal transient activity.

   SAFETY: 24 hour concierge/security are stationed at the front desk. Availability depends on who’s there. There’s also a neighborhood safety patrol that monitors the area/building and reports any suspicious activity to the appropriate authorities if needed.

   AMENITIES: Nice lounge spaces throughout both buildings. Gym is efficient. Pool and Jacuzzi are great. Parking available in underground garage for residents.

   UNIT: I’m in a one bedroom unit. Surprisingly the ambient noise is not super loud or consistent but I’m also from the east coast and lived a few years in NYC so I have something to compare it to. Sometimes the most noise comes from neighbors given the thin walls. Had a few maintenance issues upon moving in but they were resolved quickly, except for recurring water heater problems which caused water pooling under the tiles of the floor in my unit, eventually spreading to the baseboards of my walls and causing water spots and damage.

   PROPERTY MANAGEMENT: Here’s where things get interesting for me, and I will be completely transparent in the recollection of my experience with the property management team. In the summer of 2023, I was impacted like so many others in my industry by the Writer’s and Actor’s Strike. As a current and working union member, I saw first hand how quickly contracts were cancelled, and while I made the property management team aware of my circumstances, I also continued to pay my rent on time. In September 2023, I applied for the Los Angeles Housing Department Emergency Rental Assistance program. In November 2023, my application went from pending to being reviewed. At this time I had no rent arrears which would be required for me to receive assistance. In December 2023, despite awaiting a decision for rental assistance, I received a pay or quit notice for rent arrears for the month. I was unfamiliar with renter’s protections rights in LA County at that time and was intimidated by the request to pay or get evicted, so I paid what I owed. In January 2024, my application is accepted for rental assistance, only to later be informed that my landlord reported I had no back rent due to being coerced into paying it the previous month. In February 2024, after many attempts to appeal the decision, my rental assistance was forfeited and I had to settle rent owed out of pocket, which I did by the end of the month. Here’s what I learned from my exchange with the LA Housing Department and multiple legal aid/tenant’s rights organizations:

   1. I should not have paid any back rent while my application was pending and being reviewed (This is now city law as an official protection from eviction for renters by the Los Angeles City Council as of 2/2/2024).
   2. Landlords cannot legally evict you for nonpayment of rent amounts owed that are below the Fair Market Rent (FMR) value.
   3. The pay or quit notice sent to me in December 2023 was for an amount less than the FMR, which means I would not have been evicted even though the letter said otherwise. This action also infringes on the Tenant Anti-Harassment ordinance established for the City of Los Angeles.

   CURRENT SITUATION: Despite paying my March rent in full, I received a pay or quit notice for the same month on the day my balance was zero. This process seems arbitrary. Miscellaneous charges were later added creating a $20 balance.

   CONCLUSION: Decent amenities and location, but my experience with property management has been concerning. I requested a meeting, but no follow-up. This has caused me lots of anxiety. I question the accuracy of my rental ledger as well as the due diligence and integrity of the management team. Helena is the only person who has been helpful. She’s professional and responsive to my concerns.

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