Lee Square Apartments

I will try to be as even-handed as possible, and offer the kinds of things I wish I had known prior to moving in here.

The good aspects: these are bug-free apartments; maintenance is timely in responding and fixing problems; location is very walkable to library, bank, restaurants, farmer's market.

The bad aspects, for me anyway:
1. the buildings are very old, and coupled with the earthquake a few years back, most floorboards squeak. If you live below an ADD adult you will hear constant... squeaking and thumping as they walk back and forth and get in and out of a recliner. You will hear the bass of anyone playing their TV or stereo too loud. You can sometimes even hear people talking on their phone. You may think that you can tune this out, but for me, it gets really old to have to have on headphones or wear earplugs to bed every night to get an uninterrupted night's sleep.

2. The complex allows dogs. In my building of 8 apartments, 4 have dogs, including one with a Doberman type breed who goes on barking jags that echo in the uncarpeted hallway. Despite multiple complaints from more than one tenant, and even the involvement of police, this person is allowed to continue to disturb neighbors. Another tenant has a large dog that barks at everyone who walks by.

3. I am sensitive to cigarette smoke. Neighbors on either side smoke and prevent me from really using my balcony, and the smoke often comes through the air ducts as well.

4. Rent increases run well over inflation, typically 4-5% every year, even during a time when inflation was under 1%, and tenants are always told it is because of increasing costs.

5. Parking for overnight guests is often unavailable. If you have out-of-town guests, they may have to park 1/4 mile away on a residential street and hope that the residents don't attempt to have their car towed.

6. Broad Street is undergoing massive development. Traffic is already a problem and will become more so by 2016.

Now none of these issues may be a problem for YOU. Perhaps the location and walkability will outweigh all the other things. But they don't for me. Lee mas