Vela on Ox Apartments, Woodland Hills CA

Beautiful spot to live. Stayed with a relative for a few days and was extremely jealous. Loved the dog run and how their apartment back door led us right to it.

If I could give Vela on Ox and their staff 6 stars - I would! Even during these tough and difficult times of the COVID pandemic, my move was extremely easy, smooth and painless. Sabina and Lamar are the most accommodating and responsive as apartment complex management could be - simply the best handling issues quickly and addressing one’s concerns instantly. My apartment is gorgeous! The amenities are amazing, everything is kept immaculate. We get amazing food trucks throughout the week. I love our community!

UPDATE: Sadly I have had to move for personal reasons, but have to thank the amazing team at Vela on Ox, especially Jessica P.for making the process a breathe and providing stellar assistance throughout my residency. Also the maintenance team is simply the best!

Fire alarms at 1 am. DO NOT MOVE HERE. This was not due to faulty alarms, people disconnecting it, or someone pulling the alarm. This was someone spraying the fire extinguishers in the hallways now, toxic fumes in front of peoples doors. Twice this weekend, and the alarms go off weekly. Ashley zarro and Kal Sousa - the managers- held a meeting where they blamed a few residents for these problems as if it were not their fault, as property managers. They also said they would ask “upper management” to install cameras to deter crime. No results. Everyone is leaving this building, the only remains are people on section8 which they allow (per their website) and whoever they can find to sign a lease.

I am writing to express my deep dissatisfaction with the recent deduction made from our security deposit upon the termination of our lease at Vela On Ox. Despite leaving the apartment in a condition that met the standards outlined in the lease agreement, I was shocked to discover that a significant portion of our security deposit had been withheld without any valid explanation or evidence of damage that would justify such action. Throughout our travels across the United States, we've rented numerous accommodations via platforms like apartment complex, VRBO, Airbnb, and Furnished Finders, and we've consistently upheld a reputation for leaving places impeccably clean.

However, our recent experience at Vela On Ox has left us deeply dissatisfied. The unjust deductions from our security deposit not only disregard the terms outlined in our lease agreement but also cast doubt on the transparency and fairness of the apartment complex's policies. I want to emphasize that we diligently fulfilled all lease obligations, from punctual rent payments to meticulous maintenance of the apartment. Regrettably, the issues at Vela On Ox have been persistent and concerning. Smoking, both cigarettes and pot, occurs routinely in common areas, while the incessant late-night fire alarms, documented in multiple reviews spanning over a year, significantly disrupt the peace and tranquility that Vela On Ox aims to provide for its residents, Trash, dog waste, disruptive behavior, and unattended furniture in hallways create an unpleasant living environment.

Despite efforts to address these concerns—reporting instances like dogs in the pool, loud music in the gym, and other disturbances—the situation remained unresolved.

Moreover, the withholding of a portion of our deposit upon moving out, despite thorough cleaning efforts, feels unjust. We dedicated extensive time and effort to ensure the studio was left spotless. It's disheartening to share such negative feedback, but I believe it's crucial to shed light on these issues for the benefit of others considering this residence. I strongly believe in fair practices and hope that our experience prompts a reevaluation of policies at Vela On Ox.

DO NOT MOVE HERE! They treat you like a walking dollar sign and could care less about throwing you out to the curb! I’ve received financial help from Housing Los Angeles and thank GOD I have a lawyer who has my back! They want to bribe you into paying thousands and avoid the rest of the Covid-Balance even though they should know if you were accepted and qualified into the program that you don’t have thousands sitting in your account to give them. It’s for people who were TRULY affected financially. They don’t want to hear your sob story - they want to BEND the rules and FINESSE money out of you. They could care less it’s December - Almost Christmas!

Fire alarm going off again at 10am on a Sunday morning. It never ends. There's no management on the premises at all and no one to speak to. I feel sorry for those with babies and pets that have to deal with this.

This complex is so bad! You can’t even imagine! Not a luxury first of all! Fire alarms are going on randomly any time of the day very loud in bedroom! Could be Saturday or Sunday 5am! Or any other day at 2 am! They don’t have cameras anywhere In hallways and cannot fix it! Other issues is that packages are getting stolen from the front door of apartments! NO CAMERAS ANYWHERE! Read more reviews about this building and go find another really luxury building! Management is very bad that don’t care about community! My friends car got stolen from the parking lot! Parking lot gates most of the time is broken and open!

We moved here because it was a beautiful property managed by people who PHYSICALLY WORKED OUT OF THE LEASING OFFICE. Essex purchased the building, and they closed the leasing office. Now, every leasing agent/manager is removed. If you need help, lose a package, or spot a stray dog running through the fifth-floor hallways (yes, this actually happened), there is nowhere to FIX IT. Additionally, the pipes in our apartment have broken three times. We were holding the phone up to the water as we swept it out of our apartment so they could HEAR IT. All vending machines have been removed. All food truck services have stopped. All resident events are done. The garage flooded, nearly totaling my car, and I only found out because of another resident's video. Maintenances is an HOUR away. If you try to call for emergency maintenance using the app, the number is disconnected. This community is, I suppose, supposed to run itself.which makes it a haven for drug dealers and package thieves. Do not move here if you want to keep your sanity and avoid hearing fire alarms at all hours of the day. Our dog is stressed out because of the constant alarms. Although it's advertised as a non-smoking property, there is NO ONE here to enforce this rule. Therefore, people smoke all the time, and there are cigarette butts everywhere-even the dog run. The dog run is covered in poop, and there is no accountability for dog owners because there are no cameras and there is NO LEASING STAFF on the property. We are disgusted and exhausted.

Look elsewhere! I wish I could give ZERO stars. There are multiple persistent issues with Vela On Ox such as, smoking cigarettes and pot in common areas, fire alarms going off in the middle of the night on the regular, trash and dog poop in the halls, crazy people hollering, dogs on patios barking and allowed to swim in the pool, trainers taking over the gym with outside people, and the list goes on. Someone even left a nasty couch in the hallway for a week before it was removed. Also, BE ADVISED, they will not give you all of your deposit back when you move out no matter how clean you leave the place.

We extensively cleaned our unit and sent video proof. We NEVER walked into the place with shoes from the outside, NEVER smoked, NEVER had a pet, NEVER hung anything on the walls. It was left immaculate. In all of my years of renting, I have NEVER been charged any of these extra fees upon move out and have always received my entire deposit back. The tiny little patch of carpet in the closet was NEVER walked on with any shoes. Vela kept $125 of my deposit for cleaning a 5X8 patch of carpet! They also charged me for a chip in the floor molding that I reported upon my MOVE IN inspection! Below you will see some of the bogus fees they are using in order to steal the deposit. Over $400 was not returned to me.

09/23/2023 37788296 Carpet Cleaning - Turn Time Contractors 125.00
09/23/2023 37788297 Apartment Cleaning - Turn Time Contractors 150.00
09/23/2023 37788298 Apartment Paint & Supplies - Prorated Charge Based
Off 36 Month Life Span - In House Labor - 1 Hour 29.84

This is how I had to end my 9 month stay with them after having to constantly complain about issues. The management is lacking and they do not care about paying tenants having a safe, clean, and peaceful place to sleep. There is only one person, Maria/Roxy, that actually works hard, to try to clean up after the trashy tenants that destroy the place. The other guys stand in the hallway for most of their shifts talking to each other. I once asked for more wipes for the gym and they told me it was not their job and proceeded to talk to each other. They should have given tenants a discount for the fire alarms going off all the time, instead we are punished when we leave by stealing our deposit.

Fire alarm went off around 20 times from yesterday to this morning, absolutely crazy and disrespectful. And it just went off one more time as im writing this

Still fire alarms the morning at 6-7am (despite multiple message trying to tell us it's fixed.) Swimming Pool cold while advertised as heated and Elevator off for monthS, dog poops/pee everywhere in the hallways or in the areas the kids are playing, not even mentioning the non-smoking policy. Building management doesn't look very concerned.what a shame for such a beautiful building

Do NOT AND I REPEAT DOOOOOO NOT move here I have been here visiting helping my father and the management has absolutely no control over the building! Like none you will be woken up at all times of the day due to fire alarms they will lie in the reviews and say that they haven’t had a problem in months completely UNTRUE! 6am for alarm 6: 30 fire alarm break 8am FIRE ALARM! 8: 30am FIRE ALARM! I just videoed how many times they just happened in less than a hour and it is over 5 times! DO NOT CONSIDER IT! I’ve lived in multiple condo buildings and vela on OX is by far the worst place to stay also have a friend who lives here with a teething 10month old who she can’t get to sleep cause fire alarms go off back to back EVERYDAY! As you can see they put time in responding to these reviews even though they don’t ever have time to answer the phone

Update a hour later Fire alarms are still going off every 15 minutes now 9: 40 am first alarm started at 8am don’t respond to my review respond to the situation and fix it

Please fix the alarm, we've been living here for a year and no one has done anything about it.it works in the morning and at night. Parcels are also stolen here, the guards are only able to kick people out of the pool, but when it comes to theft, they disappear somewhere.

Fire alarms again today at 7: 50 am and 8: 10am and 8: 30 am. No sleep. The speaker in the bedroom is so loud, there is no way around it. DO NOT MOVE HERE. Even fire fighters are sick of coming here and have offered a path to file a complaint. We will be collectively doing so and also reaching out to city council and LA times to report on the “false promises of a luxury apartment in LA”

Vela, your canned response will be “we see you’ve recently renewed your lease” Yes, I did cuz this is my home and staying here shouldn’t be to prove your lack of experience in this industry is justified. You will also say there was a warning posted about fire alarm testing- that is for the 5th and today is the 2nd. No wonder you need air bnb and section 8. You are a laughing stock in this community amongst other apartments.

Easy access to the 101 Freeway and near two main Streets DeSoto Ave and Topanga Blvd. Plenty of safe and secure Guest parking garage/ outdoor. Starbucks across the Street, 2 Gas stations across from each other at the corner intersection. Warner Center Park walking distance.

The maintenance and cleaning crew are great. The apartment is beautiful. But! Management is the worse I’ve ever had. There is also no leasing office so nobody to talk to face to face. We have had a charge on our account for months that wasn’t supposed to be charged and they still haven’t taken it off. But as soon as you’re a few days late on rent, here comes an eviction notice. They also report to credit bureaus so it’s been affecting our credit. They email you saying it’s resolved but isn’t. Just as quick as they add it, they need to do better with removing it. Also, if you like peace and quiet, do not move here. I’ve lived here for 11 months and the fire alarm goes off at random times of the day multiple times per week with no emergency. So when there is an emergency, you won’t know. No cameras in the elevators or hallways so safety is not the best.

Great place to live and start a business in one of the live work spaces. Maintenance is very responsive and quick to fix any request, and Jessica P.in the leasing office has been so helpful when we had issues renewing our lease. She was quick to respond and eased our nerves. She solved the problem quickly and we are so thankful!

My family and I are about to move into Vela on Ox, and we are very anxious about moving into an apartment for the first time. Jessica P.not only answered all our questions, but made sure our move-in process was a breeze and that all our concerns were addressed promptly. She is very reliable, honest, and makes sure her clients are well taken care of. If you are thinking of moving into Vela on Ox, make sure to ask for Jessica P.if you want a problem-free move-in process!

They stole a package 4floor under the door and a day later they put an empty box under the door. There are no cameras anywhere.