Avana La Jolla Apartments, San Diego CA

I just wanted to take the time out to thank the La Jolla Blue management and maintenance teams for responding to my work request quickly! I know with COVID things have been difficult to maneuver, but they still got me in and it’s appreciated. Thank you!

Nice property! I was able to tour in preparation for a move next month, and this is definitely a top contender for me.

I love the property and as soon as my paperwork is processed I'll be a resident of the property.

I have had an absolutely wonderful experience living here so far. It's only been a little over a month, but the highlight is definitely the management staff. I was deployed when I was trying to get everything set up to move in, and they were unbelievably patient and helpful, answering all my questions in a very timely fashion. I got responses right way, all the time. I applied to some other places, too, and it just wasn't the same. I'm sure the people in the past had a really poor experience, and that's very unfortunate, but under new management, this has been a great place to live. I had an issue with my sink, and it was addressed within an hour or so. I've lived in places, in the past where it has literally taken months, and I had to threaten to call the health department to get stuff fixed.

The layout of my place is about 700sqft, but it's been maximized with tons of closet space and good sized spaces for each room. I am able to fit a really large couch in the living room, have a king sized bed in the bedroom, and lots of kitchen storage because I like to keep a well stocked kitchen. The gym and stuff are under renovation, but I'm excited for all that to start opening up. With all the limitations from COVID, anyway, this is a good time for all that to be renovated. This is a communal living space; so, you will hear people outside or neighbors, but it's not super loud, and people have been very respectful, so far. I also cannot hear any traffic from the 5 when I'm in my apartment which is awesome. But expecting zero noise is a bit unrealistic. Having lived in many apartments, though, I am definitely not disrupted by noise here.

Un safe community. Management is taking no action after break in and theft in community. 5-6 tenants cars rear window was broken. Unsafe community and lethargic management. There are no cameras in community and parking lot. Even after this incident management are not installing cameras.

I lived here for 9 months. The only reason I’m moving is because the rent went up a lot and I had a shorter lease. I’m truly sad to leave.

The grounds are well-kept. The amenities are really nice - community grills and the pool are awesome. Everything is SUPER clean. I feel extremely safe here which is important to me as a single female.

The apartments have nice amenities - washer and dryer in most units. Newish appliances. I never had any problems with my apartment during my lease. Nothing broke and everything was in good condition. That being said, I treat things like my own and with care.

I’m not sure how the more newly remodeled unit renters had plumbing issues, but I’m going to call that *user* error. I literally never had one problem with tub or toilet in my less updated unit.

I literally never heard my neighbor below me. Either the guy was a ghost or the apartments are fairly well sound-proofed. Super quiet, private apartments.

The thing I will really miss is the gated UNDERGROUND parking!

The staff at Avana La Jolla is the best. The manager, Linda, is awesome. She’s so friendly and helpful. Dalton and Brian are also extremely nice and helpful.

They all really helped me settle in and were there to help with questions about the property or just the neighborhood - even though they are always super busy showing apartments and helping tenants. It seems like there are a VERY few *excellent* people doing a lot of work. I think this community would benefit from additional staffing and would really flourish.

I will miss the Avana La Jolla staff so much. Thanks for everything!

I have been trying for nearly 2 months to get a refund check. The reason I didn't rent from them was because their call center told me one thing about the apartment, but when I talked to the leasing office, it was a completely different story. So, I withdrew my application. I have attempted several times via email, calls and going into the office, but I still have not received my refund check. I was told that they, first, that it would be sent out in 7 business days. This was while I was living out of state. Then, I was told that it was applied to the wrong account, and I would receive it in 5 business days. Last time, I was told it was resubmitted, and that was over a week ago. I'm not really sure what I need to do to get my check back, but I'm tired of them wasting my time. This complex seems untrustworthy, and as if they don't care about prospective or current tenants.

If I could give half a star. I would. The management team at Avana La Jolla are so bland and unsupportive. They sit in the office all day but cannot return an email, or a follow up email, or a follow up to my follow up email. In the 13 months I lived there (one bedroom remodeled unit) we had our tub backed up a handful of times (our sink had the same issues), during the winter the heater makes the entire place smell disgusting so we bought our own, and the grounds are filled with this yellow pollen that ruined our our balcony furniture and got all over our front door. There is no A/C provided so BEWARE because it does get hot. The parking situation is terrible and they do not offer enough guest parking for the entire grounds. The gym is the size of a closet and if 5 people are inside, it is PACKED. They tried to raise our rent from $1757 to $1879 so we decided not to renew. We had a great deal, our neighbors had the exact same layout as ours and were paying over $1900 BEFORE they raised the rent and now I'm seeing the same exact floor plan is going for $2175, over $400 more than what I was paying when I was there for the same space and amenities so just know if you plan on staying here for more than a year. I had neighbors who complained about MOLD in their unit and they were looking at other units to relocate to within the property. I read all of the review, I trusted my experience would be different, and boy do I regret the decision. There are better options in University City that I'm sure would give you a better experience than Avana La Jolla.

Went in for a tour, was warmly greeted right away, and offered some fresh cold water. The grounds seem well kept, 24 hr maintenance, washer and dryer did seem on the smaller side, you'll just have to do smaller loads. Beautiful swimming pool and they allow pets! Great experience, and such nice remodeled units. Only reason I wont rent here is there is not A/C in the units.

I really wanted to like it here but it's been a nightmare. I lived in my newly remodeled apartment less than a month and currently staying in a hotel due to mold/plumbing issues. I encountered many issues upon moving-in.

Pros
The neighborhood is really nice and I love having access to the park.
Neighbors and their dogs are friendly too so its great for dog owners

Cons
Downstairs apartments are loud and you can hear everything upstairs
Bad Remodels - Plumbing issues, Mold, Electrical Issues, Dishwasher literally fell out of cabinet when I tried to use, and the list goes on.
No elevators - Lots of Stairs so this place not for Seniors or Disabled
Parking spaces are very tight and car will get dinged and scratched due to the tiny parking spaces.
Understaffed and not a fan of Management at this location
Those are the cliffs notes.good luck

The absolute worst management I have EVER dealt with. Their maintenance guy is utterly unprofessional, he intentionally ruined my 50$ Calvin Klein bed sheets when I went down to complain to the office about him missing TWO appointments for him to clean up the mold that has EXCESSIVELY accumulated in our apartment. He behaved in a very poor manner, and when I went to speak to the office about his behavior, they began to argue with me stating that IM the reason mold has accumulated in the apartment that they DID NOT put a SINGLE vent in. Not to mention they raised our rent AFTER we had signed our lease. Pretty sure thats illegal.

Linda the Community Manager and Suzanne the Regional PM took Blackbird Beverages as a vendor. Gave us Small guys a shot and using our newest tech "the Blackbird Cold bar. " Looking forward to working with more Greystar communities. Everyone is so kind.

Dalton and Bryan in the office are so helpful and informative. You can see how hard they work with new and current tenants. 5 stars all around!

Current resident counting down the days before we can move out. PROS - Location is great (1 star). Close to freeways, UTC, and other restaurants/shopping in the area. There is a nice park close by as well as fitness trails for those that like to get out and exercise. Friendly staff (1 star). The staff, especially maintenance, are quickly responsive to issues in or around the apartment. CONS - The buildings (especially ours) are old and have many issues with the plumbing and electrical. We've experience a flooded sink when we came home from work one day and had to call maintenance after hours to take care of it. If it's not our apartment, water is constantly being shut off to fix leaks in other apartments. In fact, the water is currently shut off as I'm writing this review. We've had several blackouts during our time here and there have been numerous occasions where the electrical was shut off, prompting us to reset the clocks on appliances. The walls are thin so are constantly battling with noise from neighbors next to us and above us. Everything inside the unit is old and painted over like the cabinets and counter tops. Washer/dryer inside the unit is extremely small and cannot handle comforters. There is a laundry facility on the property, but it's never been opened ever since we moved in earlier this year. Though there is gated underground parking, some of the door knobs to the entrances are broken meaning anybody can get in. Though fortunately it hasn't happened to us, there have been tenants who have mentioned that their cars have been broken into. Also, most if not all the plumbing pipes run through the underground parking so often times there'll be water leaks from the pipes. Lastly, there are several tenants who are inconsiderate and don't know how to pick up after their pets; so it's often you're playing hopscotch around the premises trying to dodge poop.

"Linda Berry" is the one in question. She is not the owner.

Referring to other reviews "Linda Berry never reached out to me", " I appreciated the former managers, Marta & then, Todd Steinhardt, ".

Just talking only makes things a lot worse as in this case.

We are writing reviews really for the owner's awareness. Until the owner hires a manager who is actually willing to serve and perform for tenants and the owner, this place can only get worse. Hope this helps.

###

The rating of this place is getting worse over time. Sure the owner and tenants don’t want that. Can the owner hire a manager who communicates, serves and performs (or works effectively), not seeks her own comfort at the expense of us all?

Assistant Manager Jester sent a threatening email requesting late rent payment or he would send his attorneys after me. Problem is I moved out of the apartment complex last year. I tried following up with Jester 3x via email and 3x via phone call. Even included the manager to try and clarify the issue but have been ghosted/ignored at every attempt. Finally spoke to a front desk reception at Avana who stated I was no longer on the rent contract, but when I requested a written statement via email the receptionist agreed but never followed through. Still have not received my written statement. Overall a very sloppy job on all levels of management at Avana, especially when you threaten a lawsuit without checking your sources.

I have lived at Avana La Jolla for 5 years. Most of the residents know me because of my dog Sammie. After reading the awful reviews, I thought it would be a good time to post mine. This management team is the best we have had in a long time. Linda and Enoc are doing their best and deserve a thank you. When I was rushed to the hospital, Linda and Enoc took care of Sammie, and picked me up when I was releases. I will not be moving anytime soon.

I am a full time professional and graduate student and have lived here for a year. This place is awful. It looks super nice at first but the buildings are old and only superficially maintained. They do "maintenance" like every other week and enter your apartment but never seem to actually do much.
I am writing this review after my attempts to get my sink fixed. My sink has been backing up with grey water and what I suspect is some raw sewage for approximately two weeks now. After being told the plumber would come out and subsequently that the problem had been fixed (while I was staring at a black sink) I could not handle it. Following a complete day of waiting to hear back from the office about a plumber, I went on a Sunday morning before going out with my fiance, to see if they had contacted a plumber. They had not but would call immediately and get them out there that day, the day I couldn't be there, after two weeks of waiting. Anyways, Avana La Jolla Just collected rent from me despite having a bathroom sink filled with sewage for two weeks and an apartment that smells to boot.
My advice is that if you're thinking you're getting a one bed and one bath, its more like a port-a-potty bedroom and a half working bathroom.

Cheers

One of the most beautiful locations in La Jolla Colony. Has great amenities and even maintenance. Moving in and out of this complex was very easy, the property management were very helpful and accommodating.

I lived here for a year and the management office is a mess to deal with. In one case dealing with my renter insurance, I was noticed one day before they start to charge me late fee for updating my insurance, which was alright since I already have mine renewed. I dropped off my proof of insurance at the office and received confirmation from the leasing staff. Then few days later they starting to charge me late fee for no insurance.

I am writing a review so that Corporate Office can see how current management treats its residents & to motivate change & better business practices. To clarify, my 2 Star rating only applies to the New Current Management (effective July 2018). I would give Maintenance 4 Stars for their overall response time, courteous & kind treatment.

On Thursday, 8/30, I came home from work & found a piece of paper attached to my door with the words of "Expired Renter Violation. " It was dated 8/31 (incorrect), & then it went on to say that if proof was not shown by 8/31/18, that I would be automatically enrolled into a named rental insurance company & be charged at $8.00 a month.

First of all, my renter's insurance was not expired, & secondly, it is very unprofessional to tack on a piece of paper on a door, w/ a deadline < 24 hrs, to provide proof, during a long holiday weekend when people are traveling and/or possibly out of town. I immediately contacted my own insurance company, who confirmed it was current & then I emailed it over to New Manager Linda Berry, cc'ed to the general email, checked by Dalton Parks & Chester (Newly hired employees). I called the office, understandably upset @ the lack of proper notice that was given to me & other residents who were affected by this issue. Chester's response over the phone was that "Well, it is the resident's responsibility at the time of the lease signing to keep up with proof. " NOTE: Linda Berry called me on 8/10/18, prior to this incident, to tell me their former staff member had not renewed my lease properly back on 7/10/18 & could I please re-do it via email? While inconvenient, I simply took care of it, & then called Linda personally to confirm she received the updated lease. That would have been a good time for her to say: "I see that your rental insurance is current but is set to expire on X date. Can you please be sure to send us an updated policy by Y date? " A 30 Day Notice (even if on the door, as required by law) for residents who are renewing their lease would be respectful vs.slapping a piece of paper @ the last minute, expecting people to be home & able to take care of paperwork on a long weekend holiday.

I learned from another resident she was catching a flight after work, when she found the same notice on her door. She said it was stressful to catch a flight, while dealing w/ this- something that could've been addressed much earlier. She also mentioned that had she left a few days sooner for her trip, she wouldn't have seen this notice, & it would be a hassle to then get charged for a duplicate policy & later dispute it. Another male resident told me he received a notice slapped on his door with a "Notice to Vacate and to pay rent in 3 Days time or Lawyer Services would be instituted. " He was frustrated that he had been living there for over 2 years, has paid rent early or on time, & it turned out that Avana had made an error from their end. He couldn't believe he never got a phone call or a courtesy email from Avana to clarify that there was an issue, but simply came home to this paperwork on his door.

Linda Berry never reached out to me that Thursday evening or even Fri.during business hours; She sent me an email on Labor Day Holiday, to say that the "insurance policy is expired on our end. Please contact your insurance company to add Greystar as an affiliate on your policy" & that in the meantime $10 would be on my ledger, until this was resolved. Of course, my insurance company was closed, & it is frustrating to get an email like this on vacation. I appreciated the former managers, Marta & then, Todd Steinhardt, who did their best to make residents like me feel welcome. They were kind, courteous, & took the time to communicate - vs.blanket emails & intimidations of imposing unnecessary fees. While I understand there is a learning curve for new management, there is an expectation of professionalism. I've paid rent early & on time (Credit score of 846-850), & this is how the new management responds to existing residents' concerns. Change needs to happen.