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.

Very good value in Downtown L.A.

Great apartment

I am very happy living here. The management is very attentive and the amenities are awesome