Kinley West LA

"TLDR: Greystar == 1 star, DO NOT MOVE HERE WHILE GREYSTAR MANAGES! Below is a detailed review of my experience at Kinley (previously Hanover) LA. I lived there with a roommate in a 2bed/2bath from June 2021 until end of January 2023. Hanover was an amazing experience to move into. However, in January 2022, new management from Greystar took over and renamed the building to Kinley. Rent went up with the market, and quality of life went down with Greystar. The Greystar effect. - PARKING: It's horrendous. You pay either $50/month for unreserved parking, or $200-$250/month for reserved parking. Either way, you should be guaranteed a spot in the parking garage. Around 6 months ago, parking became nearly impossible. If you weren’t back to the building by 7pm any day, you would not be able to find a spot. You would have to find street parking, or pay for parking in a structure nearby which was *not* reimbursed. Yes, that means walking alone at night back to the building which can be dangerous for some people. Even worse, within the last 2 months they decided most if not all ground floor spots should be Reserved to extract more $ out of tenants. This *increased* the amount of empty, reserved spots that no one wants to pay $200+/month for, and *decreased* the available unreserved spots. At this point, if you don’t pay the $200+/month for a reserved spot, you are stuck parking in the basement. By the way, the basement floods whenever it rains. - BROKEN ELEVATORS: From December 2022, up until our move-out end of January 2023, 2 out of 3 of the building elevators were broken. I believe that the broken elevators had issues already, then when it rained a lot in January, flooding in the basement exacerbated the issues. Keep in mind there was only 1 working elevator for the entire building consisting of 100s of people for an entire month, and they estimated it to be done sometime in February 2023 from December 2022. - MOVING OUT: For move-in and move-out, typically you can reserve an elevator and moving carts. Moving out of *Kinley* was long and painful. I emailed them at least a few days ahead of time to ask for a cart or two, which they confirmed. We couldn’t reserve an elevator because only 1/3 was operational, understandable. I started moving out at around 8am, but didn’t get a very small cart until 4pm. At that time a dolly became available too. They have 1 very small cart for the entire building, and the dolly is from maintenance as far as I know, good luck getting either when you need them. Realistically it would have taken 5-10 trips up and down, but that turned into over 20 trips (yes we counted) with a packed elevator. - MISSING GYM EQUIPMENT: Jump ropes from the gym were stolen/lost up to 6 months ago. We reported them to be replaced in September 2022, and the building confirmed a week after that they would be replaced. The jumping ropes still have not been replaced since our move-out end of January 2023. - UNFILTERED GYM WATER: The gym water filter went red during summer of 2022, we reported it and asked for it to be replaced in September 2022, and the building confirmed a week after that it would be replaced. The gym water filter still has not been replaced since our move-out end of January 2023. - BROKEN GYM EQUIPMENT: A lat pulldown machine in the gym was broken for between 3-6 months even after many maintenance requests. We reported them to be replaced in September 2022, and the building confirmed a week after that they would be replaced. They fixed the machine in January 2023. - STAINS: By move-out, many walls and carpet throughout the building were scratched/stained and had been for months. - MANAGEMENT: Nothing compares to the exceptional employees under Hanover. But a few of the employees at Kinley were actually very nice and helpful. However, their manager is extremely unprofessional. She is the most passive-aggressive manager I have ever seen. The response time for many requests, the broken elevators, gym equipment, water filter, etc. clearly shows that they take their sweet time fixing anything."

"Two of my good friends lived at Kinley West LA from January 2022-January 2023 and from hearing about their experiences as tenants and as a frequent visitor during their year living here, I could not recommend this property LESS to prospective tenants. The property switched management companies during the duration of my friends' lease which resulted in several maintenance and operation issues, including flooding in the parking garage when it rained, and broken elevators that were not repaired in a timely manner, inconveniencing many residents. The parking situation was unacceptable, with no guaranteed parking for residents, including my friends. The property is not in a residential area, so it is near impossible to find street parking. This poses both a major inconvenience and safety issue. The property also incorrectly billed my friends for damage to the unit they did not cause, leading to a long and frustrating process of trying to reclaim their funds. There are much better properties to rent from in LA, and much nicer neighborhoods. Do not be fooled by the modern amenities. This property is extremely overpriced for what you get—mismanagement and poor infrastructure."

"While the location and building design were initially a draw, my time at this building was ruined by numerous issues that significantly detracted from the quality of life and led to an overwhelmingly negative experience. Firstly, the parking situation is terrible. There are only 3 guest parking spots in the entire building, and there is close to zero parking nearby which makes it incredibly difficult for guests to visit. Despite paying a 50$ monthly fee for parking, the building had more cars than parking spots so by the end of the day you would not be able to get a spot and had to park far and walk at night (usually alone). Moreover, the parking facility itself was plagued by problems. The bottom floor would routinely flood during rain and if you are a resident paying a premium to have a reserved spot (which other residents would sometimes take due to lack of parking) you would want to be in an area that doesn’t have inches of water covering it. Additionally, the breakdown of two elevators left us with only one functioning lift for the entire building, located at a considerable distance from some units. This resulted in frustratingly long wait times and added strain, particularly for those with mobility issues. This was particularly annoying during the move out process The lack of consistency and effectiveness in management was a recurring issue. There was frequent turnover in management that led to a lack of accountability and responsiveness to residents' concerns. Despite our efforts to address issues promptly, the management's dismissive and rude attitude + lack of follow-through only made the situation worse. The most frustrating issue was the mishandling of our security deposit refunds. After we moved out, my roommate and I were charged $280 for damages we did not incur. Getting this amount back was an ordeal that lasted over seven months, where my roommate and I called and emailed the building weekly. After finally securing the refund, we were hit by a debt collector that the building mistakenly notified, further highlighting the incompetence and negligence of the management. It took an additional 3-4 months of constant emailing and calling to get this fixed. The fact that we had to consistently call a building a full year after we had moved out should be reason enough to find another spot. Nearly all the residents I talked to were incredibly dissatisfied with their time at the building and tried to move out early. I strongly advise future residents to explore other housing options to avoid similar frustrations and inconveniences to save both their money and time."

"Since management has repeatedly ignored our emails over the last several months, gonna try to get their attention this way. If you’re looking to move here, don’t. Parking is ATROCIOUS and an accident just waiting to happen. Loading zone is always packed with cars that belong to residents who won’t pay for parking. Management doesn’t really care to tow them either, which is just insane. Yes, you will pay $100 a month to park your car here and risk accident almost every time you pull in due to the cars parked in loading, blocking the entrance. Save yourself this headache. In addition to the handling of parking, this is by far the dirtiest apartment building I have ever lived in, and I am from North Philadelphia. Trash cans always full, common areas trashed always, gym is always disoriented and has never once been cleaned, etc. Not to mention, all EIGHT grills are broken and community Wi-Fi hasn’t worked since the Summer. This place charges way too much for what you’re getting. I HIGHLY recommend looking elsewhere. There’s nearby apartment buildings for less and you’ll likely get more out of it."

"As a former resident who endured Kinley West LA for more than 2 years, I feel compelled to share my experience to help others make an informed decision. From the start, it's important to note the unbearable noise levels due to the paper-thin floors. You'll hear everything from your neighbors, making peace and quiet a luxury. The parking situation is a nightmare. The garage is not only frequently out of service but also lacks enough spots for residents, let alone visitors. Worse still, it's been plagued with security issues, including break-ins. Management here is a revolving door of unresponsiveness. Promises of follow-ups go unfulfilled, and it's common to find the management office locked during supposed business hours. I've even witnessed a complete turnover of the management team with no improvement in service. Upon moving out, be prepared for exorbitant charges. Despite 'normal wear and tear', expect hefty fees for cleaning and repainting, which seem more like a penalty for vacating than reasonable maintenance. The acquisition by Greystar marked a steep decline in living standards. The new management shows a blatant disregard for residents' well-being, turning a blind eye to issues ranging from safety hazards to hygiene problems, including rampant pet waste in common areas. Facility maintenance is laughably poor. Essential amenities like elevators remain out of service for months, adding to the daily frustrations. The community atmosphere has deteriorated. Encounters with inconsiderate neighbors and unregulated pet areas only add to the sense of disorder and disrespect within the complex. Lastly, don't be fooled by the seemingly positive reviews online. My experience reflects a stark contrast to those narratives, suggesting they might not paint the whole picture. In summary, this complex has been the worst living experience I've encountered, marked by poor management, inadequate facilities, and a complete lack of concern for resident satisfaction. My advice? Look elsewhere for a place that values and respects its residents."