Bayou Reserve

"When we arrived some years ago, the place had a different administration which was kinder and more responsible. They used to make you feel they were your friends. Now, they make you simply scared to approach them with any concern. Most requests for minimal fixes or questions are met with resistance, and are rarely addressed. They make you feel foolish even to call them. After days or even weeks of asking about your request, they will find a way to humiliate you instead of taking care of it. For example, if you see roaches, they will blame it on your hygiene, instead of arranging for an exterminator. They won't accept that the roaches are probably due to the lower class of tenants they are taking that import roach eggs from their previous abodes. They're accepting riff raff now to keep their quotas, because they can't keep decent tenants anymore. Cop raids in the complex are the norm now; probably not as many as they need though. The place is getting louder, especially on weekends until 3 and 4 am when party animals holler and keep their stereos full blast. If you complain, they just say "really?" They have a "courtesy" patrol phone number which is there just to make you think they care, but they never follow up. Never mind trying to sleep in. Cars start to rev up at 5 am even on weekends. No problem, if they didn't have customized mufflers to enhance the exhaust noise. They're also very quick to point out deficiencies on your part, again, threatening eviction, for minor problems such as leaving an item on your front porch to dry out. Before the administration would just ask in person if there was a problem and you'd be happy to explain it to them without feeling threatened. Now they shame you to get things done. They place random eviction notices at your door, though you pay rent on time, and say "oops" later without an apology. Maybe this is keep you scared. Garbage bins are filthy outside--rat traps. Gym smells bad, never has cleaning wipes replaced so you exercise with dirty equipment, no water cooler any more--they removed it, gym has smelly bathroom during summer months especially. Pool usually clean, sometimes cloudy after weekend parties. Bathrooms never have paper towels--you have to use your shirt to wipe your hands. There is a huge sugar cane refinery next door. For eight months of the year, the whole complex really smells almost like sewage from the waste products of the refinery. You can't open your windows or go outside without gagging. Not their fault, but used to be worth putting up with until now. Maintenance men are friendly. Grounds are ok, but there's always mountains of sand on the sidewalk by the volleyball court that they never clean so kids can't bike, and you get soaked because it accumulates water. Our rent to satisfaction ratio is way too high. They must charge better rates for the riff raff to keep their quotas maintained. Used to be a great place for families to live"