UDR

Out of the six apartment buildings I lived in over the course of the last decade, OLiVE DTLA is by far the worst residential experience to date.

While numerous issues have been experienced and I was waiting to address them in a review upon moving out, the nature of problems have convinced me to speak out earlier and warn others to consider alternative living arrangements.

First, my car was broken into while parked in the subterrain garage on December 16, 2024. Despite $1,400 of property stolen along with important taxpayer documents, the property management team refused to assist police with reviewing video footage. In fact, the then-lead property manager informed both police and me that OLiVE had to “protect privacy rights over property rights” and redirected me to review the lease stating OLiVE had no responsibility for lost or stolen property. The LAPD denoted how unusual her response was as no one accused OLiVE of bearing responsibility. Rather, they simply wished to investigate a motor vehicle break-in and property theft.

Second, despite having security on-site and in close proximity, packages have been stolen from the lobby whenever the delivery system has been down.

Third, apartment appliances are at the end of their life cycle. My washing machine broke down four times before maintenance replaced it.

Fourth, despite assurances from property management that I could move-in and not have to pay the pet deposit as my health care provider was traveling for the holidays and my certification form expired the prior month, I was charged the pet deposit. Management refused to refund it. The management team dodged emails and inquiries for nearly four months before they made her decision. Misleading tenants regarding the reimbursement timeline paid for a documented service animal is the antithesis of professionalism.

Fifth, despite a new property management team, core issues above are still unaddressed as noted in reviews on Yelp. Further issues being non-permitted cars parking in handicapped parking spaces; car break-ins and property theft in the garage; etc.

Last, when I raised concern that the lease is not compliant with the Servicemember Credit Relief Act and asked it to be amended to meet the statutory protections afforded to military service members who need to break leases for military orders, which the law dictates only requires a 30-day notice rather than the 60-day notice in the lease, I was met with outright hostility by the property management team and informed their legal reviewed it and said it was fine. If you are military and consider renting here, be sure to send a copy of your lease to JAG and the California State AG should they give you any difficulty with breaking lease for orders.

The employees have been responsive and helpful. The facilities are pretty nice.

Good amount of space and quiet. Lots of green space to walk a pup. Across the street from Trader Joe's, about 3 minutes from Waluga dog park, and about 15 minutes to L&C Law School. Not a ton to do for social life, but good for the quiet student life.

If you’re thinking about moving into this building or any UDR property — do yourself a favor and don’t. Where to start? When we moved in (in August, mind you), the air conditioning didn’t work. Their solution? Dump external AC units in our apartment that ran 24/7 — on our electricity bill. It took over a month to fix, and they took zero responsibility for the inflated utility costs. Next, the fridge water filter was broken, so we had to buy bottled water while waiting another month for a basic replacement. Not a major fix — just another example of how little they care. The office? Think of it like a rare Pokémon — exists, technically, but good luck catching it during posted hours. When we did find someone there, we were told to call a number for help... and the number told us to go to the office. This explains why it took 5+ months to add a roommate to our lease. Now let’s talk about the move-out surprise. Our inspection report came back mostly clean (I’ll own the oven stain), but then we got slapped with a $200+ carpet cleaning fee — for “black stains” and "bad traffic areas" that weren’t even mentioned in the inspection. I asked for proof. Denied. Repeatedly. Then came the mystery $200 charge on our final bill — $100 higher than our average. When I asked for a breakdown? Crickets. I emailed multiple times. They brushed me off with generic answers — then just stopped replying altogether. No justification. No accountability. Just silence. This wasn’t a miscommunication. This was their operating procedure: delay, deflect, then disappear. They know that most people won’t take them to court over a few hundred dollars. They count on it. They benefit — because most people give up after being ignored long enough. This property, and UDR as a whole, has made it clear: tenants are not people to them — we’re wallets with email addresses. If you like being treated with disrespect, overcharged without explanation, and systematically ignored, this is your place. Otherwise? Run. Fast. I added the pictures of the carpet that they included on the report, so you can judge yourself, as well as the "invoice" for the carpet cleaning. Oh — and how could I forget? If you're paying extra every month for a reserved parking spot, don’t get too attached. It’s more of a suggestion than an actual reservation. Random people parked in our space multiple times. But hey, they’ll still happily charge you for it.

Spacious apartments in a great location but way over priced! No customer service or respect for residents after signing the lease. Good amenities but domus now rents them out to non-residents. Used to be safe and secure but deliveries have codes to the door now and coffee shop customers end up in the lobby.

Maintenance is an issue! You pay extra for maintenance in the apartment. During May move out, buckets were in the lobby catching falling water and drywall! During Spring semester, there were almost weekly false fire alarms. The fire system clearly does not work properly. Elevators squeak so loud and you can hear the noise in apartments. Foam was added to the bottom of the apartment door but it was still loud.

Overall, rent is too high! utilities costs are VERY high! location not worth the price!

Spacious apartment with lots of storage but not worth the premium rent anymore! Electrical and water bills extremely high. You also pay for some maintenance requests. Domus used to be known for being safe and secure. Average amenities but non-residents can rent them. No appreciation for residents. Management ignores concerns. False fire alarms happen frequently. When I was moving out this May, buckets were in the lobby catching water and drywall falling from the ceiling.

Units are nice, management is responsive, there's a pool (which is unfortunately only open for a brief window in the summer), gym, and hobby room. Location is safe if not snazzy. Easily bikeable, can use the 41 bus direct to school, not near metro.

Domus is a beautiful building with lots of great amenities. Prior to moving in we were worried that there may be lots of noise given the proximity to undergrad campuses; there are lots of undergrad students around, however also lots of young professionals/healthcare workers/families. Noise is almost never an issue. The walk to CHOP is 10 min, and you can train to Karabots to <10 mins or walk in 30. Walk to center city is 20-30 and nice along the Chestnut Bridge, and there are really frequent buses, trains, and trolleys that can get you there in <15 min (and soo cheap using the Commuter Card, only like 50c or something). The rent is pretty high, but parking spaces are included in the garage with this--we have 2 cars, so we equate that to at least $600 a month if we wanted garage parking elsewhere. It's also right above a (small) grocery store, so really easy to pick things up on the way home if needed for a quick dinner.

Pros
- quiet
- location on Katy trail with private gate access
- walking distance to Starbucks, sweet green, other restaurants
- dog friendly
- good price for west village location
Cons
- management is really bad
- older units are not as updated as others in the area
- frequent car break ins in garage (they recently hired security)
- poorly insulated units - it’s hard to keep units warm/cool and electric bills are high

I’ve had a positive experience living here overall. The building is clean and feels safe, which is a top priority for me. The location is incredibly convenient—it’s very close to the shuttle bus station and metro stations, making it ideal for students without cars. However, one downside is that the utilities are shared across the entire apartment, which makes them quite high compared to other places. Despite that, it’s a great option for those prioritizing accessibility and safety

Huge apartment (tons of space!) super close to school!

Domus is a great apartment, and I really like it overall. The apartments are huge, with big floor plans and ample closet space. The kitchen and laundry room are amazing. They just remodeled the gym, so it is brand new. The pool is also very nice. The only complaint I would have is the maintenance issues. I've had to submit a lot of requests. They always come to fix the problem, but they take several days and sometimes do not fix it. Other than that though, this apartment is worth the money because of the safety, the floor plan, and the amenities. Living right across from the law school has its pros and cons as well. It is great to only live a 3-5 minute walk from campus, but I do sometimes feel far from the going out/bar scene in center city. There are also limited food options available in University City, but Domus is right next to a Giant Grocery Store which is amazing and convenient. I also have my car so it is AMAZING that parking is included. The deck is safe and secure.

Having only been at this apartment for a couple of months, my review is almost entirely positive. I am under 15 minutes away from the Alexandria campus. My apartment complex is ALWAYS clean and staff members are pretty quick at responding to issues. Maintenance is quick and nice. There is a small gym, a nice pool, and a gas station right next to the apartment. There is also a Panera and Thai restaurant basically attached to the complex. The apartment tour was self guided and the actual process for renting was simple. I have a cat and have had no issues with that. I have had no issues with crime, noise, or unclean environments at the apartment! Sullivan is next to a highway entrance and has a bus that takes you to the metro if needed!

It has 24 hours access control system, package room, public meeting room, a little gym and parking place. It’s near to the Trade Joe’s but is a little bit more far from the UW campus where you need to go for 15 minutes from the apartment. You can also choose to take a bus which is convenient.

It’s a distance from Vanderbilt, but it’s a great price. I feel safe and it’s conveniently located as long as you have a car.